Planetary Health

Climate change is deeply impacting our planet and its inhabitants. Environmental degradation displaces people and animals in ways that increase the risk for the emergence and spread of infectious disease. It pollutes the water we drink and the air we breathe, posing risks to human health. The world’s most vulnerable people will be those who are most deeply affected.

Partnering with the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research (DIGHR) at York University, the Blum Center supports research and humanitarian efforts related to planetary health. This work addresses a pressing need to understand, address, and prevent the risks that climate change poses to human health.

Projects & Partnerships

Modeling Health Impacts of Climate Change – Chilwa Basin, Malawi

Malawi’s Chilwa Basin is amongst the regions most affected by climate change. This project develops a computer-based simulation to model the relationship between climate change and human health.
 

Safe Water Optimization Tool – Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh

Access to safe drinking water is one of our most basic human needs. Humanitarian groups collect information about water quality, yet that information is not always applied to ensure that water is safe to drink at the point where it is consumed. The Safe Water Optimization Tool project provides humanitarian workers with high-quality guidance that improves public health by reducing water borne disease. The research also identifies key areas or practices where additional resources are needed to efficiently address water supply and quality issues.