Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TRIGGER (SoluTions foR mItiGatinG climate-induced hEalth tReaths)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-09-01 al 2024-02-29
The objective and ambition of TRIGGER are to deepen current understanding of the complex linkage between climate (namely meteorological and climatic conditions), human health and ecosystems (exposome framework) and to use this knowledge in practice to advance society up-take at both personal and policy levels. To prove on scientific ground the improvement in understanding of the potential pathologies and diseases (including the extent of those in vulnerable populations and across society) that may occur in response to a changing climate, TRIGGER identifies a set of demonstration Labs, the Climate Health Connection Labs (CHCLs). These are Living Labs in which citizens are part of a co-design mechanism in which through customized monitoring of both environmental and health-related parameters, ad-hoc clinical investigations, healthy behaviours are identified in specific urban, cultural, climatic and socio-economic contexts.
The main objective of TRIGGER is to identify, monitor and quantify direct and indirect impacts of climate change (CC) induced environmental hazards on human health through the direct collection of health, weather-climate, environmental and socio-economic data with user-friendly tools (sensors, simplified models, and data hub). The research activities include: i) the realization of a concrete and workable toolbox; ii) the elaboration of policy briefs and guidelines to support policy and decision makers in development and applying climate actions supported by up-to-date medical scientific evidence; iii) the release of educational activities and materials to raise awareness of the climate-health connections to the wider society. The general objective has been formulated into five specific objectives (SOs), functional to address the main gaps and open questions in terms of knowledge, innovation, social/cultural acceptance, market opportunity and policy. Specific objectives are:
- SO1 Enhancement of evidence-based connections between CC and health threats and human well-being;
- SO2 Systemic knowledge of costs, benefits and risks of CC impacts and related mitigation and adaptation measures;
- SO3 Support of policymakers and health authorities with practical guidelines based on robust scientific methodology;
- SO4 Improvement of predictive and monitoring systems for health impacts from climate events and for policy actions;
- SO5 Rise of awareness of health risks from CC and promotion of effective practices for prevention and mitigation.
The specific objectives have been declined into 22 tangible results carefully designed to achieve the project's goals.
The main objective of TRIGGER is to identify, monitor and quantify direct and indirect impacts of climate change (CC) induced environmental hazards on human health through the direct collection of health, weather-climate, environmental and socio-economic data with user-friendly tools (sensors, simplified models, and data hub). The research activities include: i) the realization of a concrete and workable toolbox; ii) the elaboration of policy briefs and guidelines to support policy and decision makers in development and applying climate actions supported by up-to-date medical scientific evidence; iii) the release of educational activities and materials to raise awareness of the climate-health connections to the wider society. The general objective has been formulated into five specific objectives (SOs), functional to address the main gaps and open questions in terms of knowledge, innovation, social/cultural acceptance, market opportunity and policy. Specific objectives are:
- SO1 Enhancement of evidence-based connections between CC and health threats and human well-being;
- SO2 Systemic knowledge of costs, benefits and risks of CC impacts and related mitigation and adaptation measures;
- SO3 Support of policymakers and health authorities with practical guidelines based on robust scientific methodology;
- SO4 Improvement of predictive and monitoring systems for health impacts from climate events and for policy actions;
- SO5 Rise of awareness of health risks from CC and promotion of effective practices for prevention and mitigation.
The specific objectives have been declined into 22 tangible results carefully designed to achieve the project's goals.
During the first reporting period a total of 35 deliverables have been completed, of which 10 related to the Climate-Health Cluster's activities. The main achievements are associated to the completion of 7 milestones. In synthesis, during this reporting period 5 CHCLabs have been established in 5 European countries. These Labs have been engaged in the co-designing of 3 clinical studies: Cross-Clavis, Long-Clavis and Retro-Clavis and so far over 500 patiens have been recruited overall as part of the Cross-Clavis study. Specifically:
- The CHC Lab Augsburg has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. The medical experts from the CHC Lab Augsburg contributed to designing the final study protocols including the questionnaires for both studies;
-The CHC Lab Bologna has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. So far over 200 patients have been recruited. The majority of these patients are being enrolled in the cardiac ward, but we collected data also in pneumological ward and emergency room;
- The CHC Lab in Geneva has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. During the first reporting period, the Lab developed the research protocol for the CrossCLAVIS study as part of WP4 activities. The CHC Lab played a key role in defining the clinical parameters for data collection and in producing and refining tools, particularly questionnaires, for data collection;
- The CHC Lab Heraklion is actively engaged in two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. This Lab focuses on vulnerable popoluation, specifically children. The children enrolment for the CrossCLAVIS study started in September 2023 and over 200 patients have been recruited.
- The CHC Lab Oulu has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and RetroCLAVIS. During the first reporting period, the Lab has produced the research protocol for the cross-sectional study crossCLAVIS.
The wide activity of the Labs is embedded in a complex methodology structure that allow communication between several expertise. One of the main result during this period has been the realization of a portfolio of climate- health indicators based on a vast literature review and up-to-date research in the two fields. Over 120 indicators have been identified covering different temporal and spatial scales that will allow the calculation of personal exposure of several years and decades.
Another major achievement during this period has been the realization of thorough analysis of current climate health policies at European level that have highlighted the need of introducing the scale dimension into the evaluation of personal exposure to account for climatic changes at urban scale.
Continuing with the list of achievements, of relevance has been the co-design of the CH2 Platform able to ingest meteo-climate data from multiple sources and the display of those to facilitate the attribution analysis between enviromental pressures and health conditions.
During this period great attention has been paid to innovation and this has culminated in the co-design of 3 sets of portable devices with a total of 300 developed for use in the clinical studies.
- The CHC Lab Augsburg has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. The medical experts from the CHC Lab Augsburg contributed to designing the final study protocols including the questionnaires for both studies;
-The CHC Lab Bologna has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. So far over 200 patients have been recruited. The majority of these patients are being enrolled in the cardiac ward, but we collected data also in pneumological ward and emergency room;
- The CHC Lab in Geneva has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. During the first reporting period, the Lab developed the research protocol for the CrossCLAVIS study as part of WP4 activities. The CHC Lab played a key role in defining the clinical parameters for data collection and in producing and refining tools, particularly questionnaires, for data collection;
- The CHC Lab Heraklion is actively engaged in two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS. This Lab focuses on vulnerable popoluation, specifically children. The children enrolment for the CrossCLAVIS study started in September 2023 and over 200 patients have been recruited.
- The CHC Lab Oulu has started two clinical studies: CrossCLAVIS and RetroCLAVIS. During the first reporting period, the Lab has produced the research protocol for the cross-sectional study crossCLAVIS.
The wide activity of the Labs is embedded in a complex methodology structure that allow communication between several expertise. One of the main result during this period has been the realization of a portfolio of climate- health indicators based on a vast literature review and up-to-date research in the two fields. Over 120 indicators have been identified covering different temporal and spatial scales that will allow the calculation of personal exposure of several years and decades.
Another major achievement during this period has been the realization of thorough analysis of current climate health policies at European level that have highlighted the need of introducing the scale dimension into the evaluation of personal exposure to account for climatic changes at urban scale.
Continuing with the list of achievements, of relevance has been the co-design of the CH2 Platform able to ingest meteo-climate data from multiple sources and the display of those to facilitate the attribution analysis between enviromental pressures and health conditions.
During this period great attention has been paid to innovation and this has culminated in the co-design of 3 sets of portable devices with a total of 300 developed for use in the clinical studies.
Of relevance beyond the state of the art are the clinical studies that have been initiated and the identification of climate indicators for use in the medical research context that have not been considered in previous literature. Another component of the project's advancements has been the realization of the CH2 Platform currently being developed and the co-design of portable devices. It should be mentioned that the interdisciplinary research is producing new evidence of the climate-health connections and this can be further used at various level, not only by resercher but also by common citizens, local authorities and policymakers through the usage of the CH2 Platform.