For those who witness the effects of climate change every day, it can be frustrating to see how little others seem to care. The planet is in crisis, yet for many, it’s business as usual. If communicating about climate change feels daunting, you’re not alone.

Arnab K. Ghosh is Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University. His research program focuses on climate change and health, and development of interventions to protect vulnerable populations against climate-amplified threats. He received his undergraduate medical degree and graduate degree in development studies at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and graduate degrees in health policy, and clinical/translational sciences at Cornell University.

Air pollution is not only impacting the environment, but also the health of people. Recently, the South African Medical Research Council’s Climate Change and Health Research Programme conducted a first of its kind study assessing the health impacts faced by individuals living in district municipalities with coal-fired power stations.

A substantial body of scientific evidence supports the assertion that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are the primary driver of ongoing global climate change. This warming trend is associated with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods, and storms. These events have been linked to a variety of adverse health outcomes. In this talk, Prof. Kan presents the scientific evidence supporting this link and discuss future research directions in this field.

How does extreme heat impact taxi drivers’ & passengers’ health?

Join us in exploring the results from two groundbreaking studies with the City of Tshwane and Durban’s Chesterville Taxi Association.

Bradley is a Disaster and Climate Risk Specialist at the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) based in Johannesburg, South Africa. A climate scientist by training, Bradley specialises in understanding the interplay between society and the environment, with a focus on how climate change impacts the most vulnerable and marginalised populations. In his role at the GFDRR, Bradley leads collaborative initiatives to tackle climate-related challenges, particularly within South African cities.

Dr Rachel Huxley is Head of Mitigation for Climate and Health at the Wellcome Trust. She joined Wellcome Trust in August 2023 to lead the research programme which supports science and evidence generation of the health co-benefits of mitigation in order to drive low-carbon, health positive policy and action.

Exposure to toxic metals from the manufacturing of certain, lightweight aluminium pots - (brochure for pot makers)

Exposure to toxic metals from the use of certain, lightweight aluminium pots - (brochure on the use of aluminium pots)

The Environment and Health Research Unit invites you to participate in its series of webinars on "Global Learning Climate Health And The Environment". Our next speaker, Dr Pallavi Pant is the Head of Global Health at Health Effects Institute (HEI). With more than 15 years of experience, her work focuses on air pollution and health research. Public engagement – particularly in low-and middle-income countries – is also central to Dr Pant’s research. Dr Pant is committed to fostering science-policy translation and effective science communication on air pollution and health.