Advancing Research for Climate and Health

The Initiative 

The far-reaching impacts of climate and environmental crises on human health are triggering increased rates of heat-related illnesses, respiratory conditions and the spread of vector-borne diseases. Changing weather patterns disrupt food systems and water supplies, leading to malnutrition and heightened vulnerability to disease. Increasingly common extreme weather events — such as floods, tropical storms, wildfires and heatwaves — exacerbate health risks, undermine mental health, displace people and disrupt essential health systems and services. Disproportionately affected are communities that lack the resources and infrastructure needed to withstand and effectively recover from these threats.

In response, IDRC and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have partnered to launch the Advancing Research for Climate and Health (ARCH) initiative. This five-year, CAD27.2-million partnership addresses critical knowledge gaps at the intersection of climate and health. The initiative promotes an integrated understanding of climate and health to support a healthier and more sustainable future.

Through ARCH, five regional hubs will establish, manage and support cohorts of networked research projects. The hubs will ground research and solutions in their respective regions, while also collaborating and learning from each other at a global level.

Through open competitive calls, each hub will fund and support a cohort of research teams focused on priority issues that affect their regions. Each emphasizes strengthening primary health within broader health systems. 

Climate Change and Health Innovation Hub for West and Central Africa  (CHINNOVA)

This hub will improve data availability to foster interdisciplinary and intersectoral research collaborations while building the capacity of the health workforce in changing climatic and health conditions. 

CHINNOVA is delivered through the Association of African Universities, the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, the Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire and the Université Omar Bongo (Gabon). 

Eastern and Southern African Regional Hub for Research and Policy on Climate Change and Health (ESA-RHRCH) 

This hub aims to improve public-health outcomes and foster resilient communities through transdisciplinary research, policy advocacy and community engagement.

ESA-RHRCH is delivered by Amref Health Africa in partnership with the University of Botswana, KPMG East Africa and Africa International University (Kenya). 

Latin America and Caribbean Hub for Climate Change and Health (CLIMAS) 

CLIMAS supports research to generate actionable knowledge and foster community involvement to address the complex intersections between climate and health.  

CLIMAS is housed by the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) in partnership with the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. 

MENA Hub for Action Research on Climate Change and Health (MARCH) 

MARCH supports the generation and uptake of high-quality, gender- and equity-sensitive evidence. It aims to strengthen the resilience, preparedness and response of health systems exposed to climate risks, in collaboration with affected communities, grassroots organizations and policymakers. 

MARCH is led by the American University of Beirut (Lebanon). 

The Regional Hub for Asia Climate Change and Health (REACH) 

REACH promotes climate and health literacy, community empowerment and system strengthening. The research pays particular attention to women and children, older adults, Indigenous Peoples and other climate-vulnerable groups in Asia. 

REACH is delivered by Monash University Malaysia, Sunway University (Malaysia) and the Maldives National University. 

Objectives

ARCH supports the development of inclusive, climate-resilient health systems, focusing on primary health care through three objectives: 

• Improve climate and health data and evidence: Increase the availability, accessibility and interoperability of robust data to inform policy development, particularly for primary health care. 
• Enhance capacity for climate and health research: Strengthen the abilities of individuals, organizations and networks to design, conduct and evaluate high-quality research focused on implementation and scaling science. 
• Translate and scale evidence-backed solutions: Support the effective implementation of climate and health evidence in policy, practice, programs and products, scaling their impact across diverse contexts.