Project description DEENESFRITPL Too much heat can harm children Temperatures in cities are substantially higher than in rural areas. This is mainly due to the fact that cities don’t have enough green space and are made of asphalt, which absorbs heat. This overheating of cities can be detrimental to children’s health and development. The EU-funded Green CURIOCITY project will improve knowledge about how heat exposure during pregnancy impacts birth outcome and how long-term exposure could affect children's neurodevelopment. The project will also explore the possibilities to mitigate or prevent the negative effects of heat in the context of nature-based solutions. It will propose the development of vulnerability maps and of a geographic information system software to forecast urban natural environment effects on childhood heat-related illnesses. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Green CURIOCITY: As a consequence of climate change, the European climate is getting warmer and the impact on childhood health and development is insufficiently understood. Equally, the potential to reduce heat related health risks through nature based solutions (NBS), such as exposure to urban natural environments (for example urban green spaces), calls for further investigation. Green CURIOCITY aims to provide evidence for improved knowledge about how heat exposure during pregnancy affects birth outcomes and how long-term exposure to heat may influence children’s neurodevelopment. The project will also investigate how adverse effects can be prevented through a potentially mitigating impact of urban natural environments in the context of NBS. Green CURIOCITY has a strong impact and implementation component, both by proposing to develop vulnerability maps, demonstrating urban “hot-spots” where the risk of negative impacts of heat is aggravated due to specific socio-demographic and land use patterns and by the development of a plugin tool for a Geographic Information System software to predict impact of urban natural environments on childhood heat-related health outcomes in partnership with WHO. The suggested methods include advanced statistical and geospatial analyses in combination with map production and software development. We will use existing data from the Human Early-Life Exposure (HELIX) cohort and link to state-of-the-art environmental exposure data to assess impact on birth and neurodevelopmental outcomes. The results are expected to be of high relevance and impact due to the project’s alignment with contemporary urgent challenges related to climate change, urban landscapes, and the health of future generations. In particular, the project’s focus on solutions and communication tools will provide opportunities for innovative evidence-based implementation strategies. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesphysical geographycartographygeographic information systemsnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssystem softwarenatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware developmentmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineobstetricsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes Keywords Heat exposure birth outcomes neurodevelopment childhood health climate change nature based solutions urban green spaces urban natural environments urban planning GIS mapping policy impact Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator FUNDACION PRIVADA INSTITUTO DE SALUD GLOBAL BARCELONA Net EU contribution € 172 932,48 Address C ROSSELLO 132 PLANTA 05 08036 Barcelona Spain See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 172 932,48
