Healthy response to heat and pollen in a changing climate (GoHot)

Climate change affects many people’s health. Higher temperatures cause heat stress, poorer air quality and higher levels of pollen. Together, these factors increase risks to health. There is still much we do not know about which situations are the most dangerous, who is most at risk and how the burden of disease is changing as a result of climate change. It is also unclear what action we should take without the solution to one problem exacerbating another.

Aim

The GoHot consortium will focus on transferring knowledge about the health risks associated with heat stress, air quality and pollen in a changing climate. The goal is to implement this knowledge in order to reduce the risk to health.

Method

To achieve this goal, the study will combine pilot projects, data collection and processing and a literature review. The researchers will then develop a communication strategy with a multidisciplinary team including behavioural scientists, communication experts, ethicists and policy officers.

Partners

The consortium is not only made up of research organisations, but also includes policymakers and civil society partners with whom it will be possible to achieve impact. GoHot is highly multidisciplinary, involving experts from fields such as epidemiology, physiology, environmental ecology, aerobiology, spatial modelling, dendrology (the study of trees), sociology, psychology, communication sciences and ethics.

Expected results

The researchers expect to be able to provide more insight into:

• What groups are most susceptible to and negatively affected by periods of heat and/or high pollen concentrations 
• What factors might make the situation worse for them 
• How different groups can best respond during period of heat and high pollen counts 
• How pollen spreads indoors and on streets with different kinds of vegetation 

They also expect to produce clear options for action during periods of heat and high pollen counts for at-risk groups, healthcare institutions and local authorities. This will allow the knowledge generated to be applied immediately in practice and in policy. Knowledge institutes will also pass on the knowledge through teaching, as well as by requesting the assistance of organisers of information events and journals.