CCOUC Contributes to IRDR Research Forum on Climate Change and Public Health

The Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) participated in the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) Research Forum on Climate Change and Public Health, held online on 1 September 2026. The forum brought together researchers from across the international IRDR network to share research progress, exchange knowledge and explore opportunities for collaboration in addressing the health impacts of climate change.

Professor Emily Ying-yang Chan, founder and Co-Director of CCOUC, delivered a presentation titled “Climate Change and Public Health: Connecting IRDR Research Teams”, highlighting the intersections between climate-related risks, population health and disaster risk reduction. Her presentation emphasised the importance of connecting research expertise across disciplines and institutions to advance integrated approaches to climate and health challenges.

The forum featured presentations addressing a range of climate-related health and environmental issues. Dr Jack Ogony discussed seroepidemiological patterns, community awareness and preparedness for climate-driven dengue fever in western Kenya. Professor Xu Tang presented ongoing research on climate change and public health at the IRDR International Centre of Excellence at Fudan University. Professor Peng Bi from the University of Adelaide explored climate change and population health, focusing on risk assessment and adaptation, while Professor Qunshan Zhao from the University of Glasgow introduced the application of urban sensing and analytics to understanding cities.

The discussions highlighted the value of interdisciplinary research and international collaboration in understanding and responding to climate-related health risks. As an IRDR International Centre of Excellence (ICoE) since 2016, CCOUC continues to contribute to the programme's mission of advancing science-based disaster risk reduction and resilience building. IRDR is an international scientific programme co-sponsored by the International Science Council (ISC) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).