Climate Health Initiative (CHI)
The Climate Health Initiative at the University of Bergen (UiB) unites multiple faculties and partners to tackle the complex links between climate change and health.
Main content
Health and Climate are interconnected directly, through easily recognizable causality chains but also indirectly, through complex interactions more difficult to understand and address.
Changes in infectious diseases transmitting from animals to humans, increase in mental health problems among young people because of fear for planetary health, changes in patterns of disease and need for health care provision due to displacement of populations and conflicts fueled by scarce water and food resources, are some of the health consequences of environment problems. In all cases, climate change aggrevate health risks, impacting vulnerable communities disproportionately.
The Climate Health Initiative (CHI) will stimulate research that develops knowledge about climate and health and how to prioritize solutions to provide better health for all in a sustainable way. Understanding the links between climate and health is crucial for achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Activities
Climate Health Initiative webinar series
- Webinar October
- Webinar November 22
- Webinar December 13
Background
Finding answers to understand and address these complex interactions must be grounded in broad interdisciplinary (several faculties) and transdisciplinary (several types of institutions) research and innovation initiatives.
As a response to this challenge, the faculty of Medicine at the University of Bergen (UiB) together with the faculties of Psychology and Mathematics and Natural Sciences as well as the Bjerknes Centre and the Climate Agency (Klimaetaten) of the City of Bergen, have recently launched the Climate Health Initiative ensuring that we, together, approach timely and relevant challenges for Norway.
Our aim
Our aim is to facilitate collaboration within the members of the Initiative but also to coordinate efforts with other Norwegian and international actors working to understand and find solutions for global challenges related to Climate and Health.
Understanding the links between climate and health is crucial for achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Addressing this intersection, for example by addressing links between urban climate mitigation measures and public health, will foster resilience and contribute to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), promoting global sustainability. Several other SDGs, including SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water) are also closely related to the interaction of Climate and Health.
Contact persons
| Faculty of Medicine | Esperanza Diaz | IGS, Pandemic Centre |
| Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research | |
| Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Thomas Spengler | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
| Faculty of Medicine | Simon Nygaard Øverland | Global challenges, UiB |
| Faculty of Psychology | Gro Mjeldheim Sandal | Dept, of Psychosocial Science |
| Bergen Municipality | Stina Ellevseth Oseland | Director, Climate Agency, City of Bergen |
| Western Norway University of Applied Sciences | Maria Nordheim Alme | Head of Section, Department of Health and Functioning |
Affiliated members
| Faculty of Medicine | Esperanza Diaz | IGS, Pandemic Centre |
| Faculty of Medicine | Ane Johannessen | IGS, GAP, TVEPS |
| Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Stefan Pieter Sobolowski | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
| Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Tor Eldevik | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
| Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Kikki Flesche Kleiven | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
| Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research | |
| Faculty of Medicine | Simon Nygaard Øverland | Global challenges, UiB |
| Faculty of Psychology | Gro Mjeldheim Sandal | Dept, of Psychosocial Science |
| Bergen Municipality | Stina Ellevseth Oseland | Director, Climate Agency, City of Bergen |
| Bergen Municipality | Marit Voltersvik | Infection control supervisor, City of Bergen |
| Western Norway University of Applied Sciences | Maria Nordheim Alme | Head of Section, Department of Health and Functioning |
| Western Norway University of Applied Sciences | Joost Van Wijchen | Head of Section, Department of Health and Functioning |
| Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research | |
Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center | Roshin Pappukutty Raj | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
| Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center | Yiguo Wang | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
| Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center | Victoria Miles | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
| Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Friederike Hoffmann | Geophysical Institute, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research |
