Digital innovation for climate hazard early warning and related disease prevention in Africa

UCL STEaPP is part of an international team establishing a transnational research network for creating digital innovations to strengthen community resilience in coping with climate hazards and preventing the outbreaks of associated diseases. The project has been awarded funding from the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Digital Innovation for Development in Africa (DIDA).

OVERCOME (digital innOVation in climatE hazaRd early warning and related disease prevention for COMmunity capacity building and rEsilience) aims to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable communities by minimising the negative impact of climate disasters and associated health risks, and improve country progress in addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr Carla Washbourne, Lecturer in Environmental Science and Policy at STEaPP, is working alongside Dr Luiza Campos (UCL CEGE) and Dr Julia Tomei (UCL Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources), as part of the OVERCOME team to build a cross-sectoral consortium that will support strategic planning and decision making to enhance societal resilience to climatic hazards. The consortium will draw on a range of multidisciplinary expertise to create a holistic framework with innovative technological methodologies and applications.

Dr Carla Washbourne said: 

The OVERCOME project brings together an excellent network of people working in research and practice across climate change and health issues. I am looking forward to working with all of the partners to learn more about the opportunities and challenges for using digital innovations to support decision-makers and communities in climate resilience and disease prevention.

The OVERCOME team consists of world-leading scientists from University of Exeter,  University College of London, University of West London , Public Health England, and Aquobex Technologies in the UK, the University of Malawi, The Polytechnic in Malawi, the National Institute of Meteorology in Mozambique, the Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe, and University of Ghana in Ghana. An international expert panel, including Columbia University, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Malawi, DHI, ECMWF, Eurecat Technology Centre, FIWARE Foundation, Ministry of Agriculture Malawi, Ministry of Health Malawi, and Norwegian Meteorological Institute, will advise on shaping research direction.

Within the next 12 months, OVERCOME will engage with stakeholders in natural environment, health care, environment-economic, urban planning, utility services, disaster management, policy making and local communities to co-shape the research questions and targeted outcomes for future studies.

Links

OVERCOME research project details