Why heatwaves, air pollution, wildfire emissions and pollen should be treated as public health priorities
Climate change is not only an environmental challenge. It is also a growing public health challenge.
Across Europe, risks linked to heatwaves, air pollution, wildfire emissions and pollen are becoming more visible and more urgent. These hazards affect daily life, put pressure on public health systems, and create new challenges for local and regional authorities, health professionals and communities. healthRiskADAPT addresses exactly this growing need by developing user-driven health risk assessment services and innovative adaptation solutions to help authorities and stakeholders better understand vulnerabilities and take informed action.
The project is designed to support a more practical and coordinated response to climate-related health risks. Its approach combines co-creation with users, risk and vulnerability assessment, and the development of interactive, user-friendly toolkits that can help local and regional authorities assess hazards, prioritize actions and improve preparedness.
Communication is also a core part of this effort. The project’s dissemination strategy places strong emphasis on raising awareness of under-communicated health risks, producing targeted hazard-specific content, and connecting science, policy and practice through accessible and user-friendly formats. This is especially important for citizens, vulnerable groups, policymakers and health stakeholders who need clear and relevant information, not only technical results.
At EILD, we support this direction by contributing to communication and outreach efforts that help make the climate-health link more understandable, more relevant and more actionable.
As climate risks grow, protecting health requires better information, stronger preparedness and closer cooperation across sectors.
Mini FAQ
1. What is healthRiskADAPT?
healthRiskADAPT is an EU-funded Horizon Europe project that develops user-driven health risk assessment services and adaptation solutions against threats from heatwaves, air pollution, wildfire emissions and pollen. The project runs from 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2028.
2. Why does the project focus on these four hazards?
Because heatwaves, air pollution, wildfires and pollen are identified as growing and still under-communicated threats to human health in the context of climate change. The project’s communication strategy explicitly aims to raise visibility and understanding around these risks.
3. Who is the project for?
The project addresses multiple target groups, including local and regional authorities, health and healthcare professionals, citizens and communities, researchers, and policymakers. Its communication approach is tailored so that information is relevant and accessible to different users.
4. What kind of solutions will healthRiskADAPT develop?
The project aims to deliver integrated solutions that combine technical, nature-based and social approaches, along with health indicators, vulnerability assessments, risk indices and interactive toolkits to support evidence-based planning and action.
5. Why is communication so important in this project?
Because the project does not only produce knowledge; it also aims to make that knowledge understandable and usable. Its dissemination plan includes website updates, social media, factsheets, visual materials and other formats to support awareness, uptake and long-term impact.
6. Where will updates and resources be shared?
The project website is designed to include Latest News, Upcoming Events, a Knowledge Hub, Media & Resources, and a dedicated FAQ section, so that stakeholders can access project information and public materials more easily.