ENBEL’s approach for enhancing the impact of research findings were through a) networking , b) research syntheses , c) engaging with decision-makers focusing on Europe and Africa, d) dissemination and communication.
The key activities and results of ENBEL have been:
1. We brought together international climate change and health researchers, experts and practitioners at international conferences, workshops, symposiums and meetings to bolster the outputs of the Belmont Forum CEH and EU funded projects and contribute to awareness and policy advice on climate change and health links. Key conferences where we have presented include COP26, 27 and 28, European Climate Adaptation Conferences (ECCA2021/2023), European Public Health Conferences, International Society of Environmental Epidemiology conferences (ISEE), WHO’s Regional Consultation on Climate Change and Health and the 12th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health. The ENBEL2023 Conference on Connecting Health and Climate Change was held in Stockholm October 2023, gathering about 300 participants from 35 countries.
2. We have established a climate and health network in Africa, the CHANCE network (Climate-Health Africa Network for Collaboration and Engagement). It has held 11 digital network meetings, facilitating interaction and coherence between the climate and health community in Eastern and Southern Africa. The network includes policy makers, NGOs, researchers and other stakeholders from several countries, including Kenya, Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. The first CHANCE network conference took place in South Africa in June 2022, and the second took place in Botswana August 2023.
3. Development of the ENBEL portal www-enbel-knowledge.eu has contributed to bolstering the outputs of ENBEL and the associated projects. The portal includes a library of over 250 training courses and learning materials to facilitate capacity building on climate change and health links as well as knowledge on the health impact of climate change gathered through ENBEL and its network. The portal includes e.g. research factsheets, videos, policy briefs and tools. Also, 23 ENBEL knowledge products (including policy briefs, research factsheets, videos and the ENBEL knowledge portal) are published in the European Climate and Health Observatory and other external portals.
4. The systematic comparison of the projects in the ENBEL network (research projects funded by the Belmont Forum CEH and the EU) helped to identify commonalities in the research methods and researched populations as well as the research gaps and future research priorities.
5. The project has engaged in stakeholder mapping in Europe and Southern/Eastern Africa, including reviews of national climate adaptation strategies and national climate adaptation plans for European countries, and meetings with the EU, WHO, national and local government stakeholders in Europe, and international decision-making networks, as well as African stakeholders, to understand evidence needs.
6. Active and strategically planned communication and dissemination activities through films, newsletters, podcasts, web, social media, media engagement and stakeholder meetings. Research knowledge and outputs from the network projects are disseminated through our channels and at relevant policy and scientific events contributing increased awareness of the climate and health links
