Advances in the integration of climate and health data - AmeriGEO Week in Ecuador
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The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) had a prominent participation in AmeriGEO Week 2024, an inclusive event that seeks to bring together diverse communities to foster collaboration in integrated Earth and social science research. This space facilitates the exchange of information between national, regional and international efforts, using Earth observation data, ancestral knowledge and other sources to guide informed decisions in the face of environmental, social and economic challenges.
In the session “Looking toward COP29: “One Health” Partnerships to Accelerate Climate Action” the IAI, together with Earth Observations for Health and the Ministry of Health of Ecuador, highlighted the valuable One Health collaborations that are driving climate action in the Americas. Speakers presented examples of tools for data integration and early warning systems, such as extreme heat risk mapping and air quality monitoring systems, which help identify inequalities and strengthen decision-making in health and climate.
Among the featured panelists was Irene Torres, Strategic Advisor at IAI, who discussed the use of innovative tools to integrate data in climate change and health. She highlighted IAI’s support for Harmonize, a Wellcome Trust-funded project based at the National Supercomputing Centre in Barcelona, which works on harmonizing multi-level spatiotemporal data relevant to health in critical locations such as small islands, cities, high-altitude sites and tropical forests. Harmonize works across four IAI member countries: Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.
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Also present was Mercy Borbor-Córdova, professor at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (Ecuador) and member of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the IAI. Her presentation focused on climate and health applications, highlighting the role of science in the response to dengue outbreaks in Ecuador and Uruguay.
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Other speakers presented successful case studies from the region and strategies to mitigate the risks associated with extreme heat in cities across the Americas.
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These types of multisectoral and multidisciplinary collaborations are essential to advance the climate and health objectives established in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as in the framework of the Conference of the Parties (COP28 and COP29). IAI's participation in these efforts reaffirms its commitment to the creation of cooperation networks that promote resilient and sustainable solutions to face global challenges.
Learn more about the event at https://2024amerigeoweek.amerigeo.org/