Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MOUNTADAPT (Adaptation solutions to reduce climate change impact on health in the Mountain area)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-06-01 al 2025-11-30
As the impacts of climate change escalate, the vulnerability of healthcare systems to extreme weather events, higher temperatures, decreased air quality and emerging diseases becomes increasingly evident. Urgent action is needed to mitigate the effects of climate change on public health and to boost community-driven resilience. In this context, MOUNTADAPT works to facilitate innovative climate adaptation solutions for health and the health system across mountainous regions in Austria, France, Romania, Slovenia, Germany and Andorra.
The project is working towards developing robust models to better understand the impact of climate change on health, and integrate state-of-the-art forecasting, monitoring and emergency management tools. Through training and awareness campaigns, it plans to empower healthcare professionals and citizens. Detailed monitoring protocols and impact assessment will allow for a continuous evaluation of a range of adaptation solutions. By the end of the project, MOUNTADAPT will also deliver a full implementation guide, to boost its adaptation solutions replication in new territories. Led by local health systems, authorities and communities, the project will engage diverse health sector actors to co-design and test innovative strategies. Social scientists and experts are working on socio-economic projections for climate change impacts modelling and support the definition of the citizen-oriented awareness raising programs, while policy and emergency management experts work on climate proof adaptation guidance.
The project is working towards developing robust models to better understand the impact of climate change on health, and integrate state-of-the-art forecasting, monitoring and emergency management tools. Through training and awareness campaigns, it plans to empower healthcare professionals and citizens. Detailed monitoring protocols and impact assessment will allow for a continuous evaluation of a range of adaptation solutions. By the end of the project, MOUNTADAPT will also deliver a full implementation guide, to boost its adaptation solutions replication in new territories. Led by local health systems, authorities and communities, the project will engage diverse health sector actors to co-design and test innovative strategies. Social scientists and experts are working on socio-economic projections for climate change impacts modelling and support the definition of the citizen-oriented awareness raising programs, while policy and emergency management experts work on climate proof adaptation guidance.
Work Package 1 (WP1) delivered a masterplan for the 4 Demonstrator health systems, for the different resilience solutions to be co-developed in WP2 and tested in WP3. Business requirements and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were validated for sites, and climate hazards were estimated. Partners also established a climate-health evidence base (comprehensive literature review and empirical modeling) and conducted a large-scale training needs assessment.
Building from WP1, WP2 gathered co-development activities for the MOUNTADAPT solutions: 2 advanced monitoring tools, 3 integrated systems, 1 emergency management solution, 3 adaptation guidance tools, a training and awareness raising campaign toolkit. They were developed using a participatory approach and tailored to the unique environmental and operational challenges of mountainous regions. When possible, interoperability between solutions was explored to propose an integrated approach to climate resilience of health systems. AI and statistical health and climate models were also structured, as an attempt to provide a mixed approach for climate and health forecasting. Most solutions developed in WP2 are now being demonstrated in WP3, while a few are still being finalized for early 2026.
WP3 coordinates the co-creation activities, via local Communities of Practices (CoPs) in each Demonstrator. Monitoring protocols to assess solutions were also established building from KPIs set in WP1. They are now running so solutions can be evaluated with operational data and user feedback for continuous improvement. WP3 also started setting the steps for knowledge exchange between Demonstrator and Replicators. This process started officially in November 2025 and will set the basis for WP4 which will start in 2026.
WP5 and WP6 focus respectively on communication and dissemination activities and on project management.
Building from WP1, WP2 gathered co-development activities for the MOUNTADAPT solutions: 2 advanced monitoring tools, 3 integrated systems, 1 emergency management solution, 3 adaptation guidance tools, a training and awareness raising campaign toolkit. They were developed using a participatory approach and tailored to the unique environmental and operational challenges of mountainous regions. When possible, interoperability between solutions was explored to propose an integrated approach to climate resilience of health systems. AI and statistical health and climate models were also structured, as an attempt to provide a mixed approach for climate and health forecasting. Most solutions developed in WP2 are now being demonstrated in WP3, while a few are still being finalized for early 2026.
WP3 coordinates the co-creation activities, via local Communities of Practices (CoPs) in each Demonstrator. Monitoring protocols to assess solutions were also established building from KPIs set in WP1. They are now running so solutions can be evaluated with operational data and user feedback for continuous improvement. WP3 also started setting the steps for knowledge exchange between Demonstrator and Replicators. This process started officially in November 2025 and will set the basis for WP4 which will start in 2026.
WP5 and WP6 focus respectively on communication and dissemination activities and on project management.
The masterplan approach deployed for climate-resilient health infrastructure was developed to be highly replicable, while the training needs assessment identified critical knowledge gaps and regional priorities among health professionals of four different European regions.
The solutions of the projects was adjusted to the demonstrators’ needs and in many occasions a set of innovative resilience solutions was co-developed. The integrated monitoring, early warning, and response systems (MEWRS) combines environmental and health monitoring, real-time data integration, and emergency management tools; while the adaptation recommendations, the training and campaign toolkit are tailored to end-user needs. Together, MOUNTADAPT solutions will support healthcare providers to better detect and respond to climate-related health risks. The modular and interoperable architecture of the MEWRS ecosystem and the adapatabilty of other solutions allows for strong replication and upscaling to other regions and healthcare.
For MOUNTADAPT to reach its full impact, further research and demonstration is still needed, as well as strong support to commercialisation. Intellectual property management and international collaboration is key, like the alignement with regulatory and standardisation frameworks for integration into existing systems. A continued capacity building of stakeholders wll also allow for long-term impact and change. Local CoPs engaged are already an advantage for local upscale, to be replicated in other regions.
A project website and social media toolkits were establised to raise awareness on climate-health risks and solutions, facilitate knowledge exchange, and showcase results and solutions. Is also enables future replication, scalable adoption of solutions, and continued engagement with health systems and stakeholders beyond the project’s lifetime. This should lead to continued growth in partner-led communications and dissemination, stronger engagement of health systems, policymakers, and communities, accelerated integration of evidence into policy and practice, and establishment of a lasting platform for collaborative learning, innovation, and cross-sector networking.
The solutions of the projects was adjusted to the demonstrators’ needs and in many occasions a set of innovative resilience solutions was co-developed. The integrated monitoring, early warning, and response systems (MEWRS) combines environmental and health monitoring, real-time data integration, and emergency management tools; while the adaptation recommendations, the training and campaign toolkit are tailored to end-user needs. Together, MOUNTADAPT solutions will support healthcare providers to better detect and respond to climate-related health risks. The modular and interoperable architecture of the MEWRS ecosystem and the adapatabilty of other solutions allows for strong replication and upscaling to other regions and healthcare.
For MOUNTADAPT to reach its full impact, further research and demonstration is still needed, as well as strong support to commercialisation. Intellectual property management and international collaboration is key, like the alignement with regulatory and standardisation frameworks for integration into existing systems. A continued capacity building of stakeholders wll also allow for long-term impact and change. Local CoPs engaged are already an advantage for local upscale, to be replicated in other regions.
A project website and social media toolkits were establised to raise awareness on climate-health risks and solutions, facilitate knowledge exchange, and showcase results and solutions. Is also enables future replication, scalable adoption of solutions, and continued engagement with health systems and stakeholders beyond the project’s lifetime. This should lead to continued growth in partner-led communications and dissemination, stronger engagement of health systems, policymakers, and communities, accelerated integration of evidence into policy and practice, and establishment of a lasting platform for collaborative learning, innovation, and cross-sector networking.