Characterising and communicating climate information for climate resilient decision making in the health sector in southern African cities

Dr Ailish Craig, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol

UCT host: Alice McClure, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Cape Town

Programme dates: Dec 2023 - Dec 2025

 

Many cities in southern Africa are undergoing economic development and growth, whilst simultaneously trying to cope with the impacts of climate change such as drought, flooding and heat. To build climate resilient and healthy cities, climate information can be used to inform health-related planning. However, climate information is complex and confusing to non-technical experts, which is a barrier to its use in decision making. Despite this, there are limited studies that formally test the best way to communicate climate information. This UCT-Bristol fellowship will link the research expertise in Bristol around formally and robustly testing the communication of climate information, with UCTs research on healthy and climate resilient cities. As such this collaboration will improve the understanding and use of climate information by urban health sector decision makers and promote climate resilient health sectors in southern Africa.