The Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) programme is pleased to announce an upcoming online workshop, Climate Change and Public Health: Connecting IRDR Research Teams, scheduled for Tuesday, 1 September 2026.

As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of natural hazards—from floods and droughts to extreme heat—its cascading effects on human health have become a pressing concern for the disaster risk reduction community. Vector-borne diseases are spreading to new regions, food security is under threat, and vulnerable populations face mounting direct health risks. Recognizing this urgent intersection, IRDR has established climate change and public health as a dedicated work stream, with National Committees and International Centres of Excellence (ICoEs) already advancing research in this critical area.

This 90-minute online workshop aims to bring together researchers from across the IRDR network and its partners to share progress, exchange knowledge, and explore new avenues for collaboration. The session will feature brief presentations from:

1. the ongoing IRDR ICoE-REaL-affiliated IRDR pilot study, "Seroepidemiological Patterns and Community Preparedness for Climate Change-Driven Mosquito-Borne diseases in Flood-Prone Areas of Western Kenya";

2. IRDR ICoE for Oxford University and CUHK (CCOUC) for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (IRDR ICoE-CCOUC);

3. IRDR ICoE on Risk Interconnectivity and Governance on Climate Change (IRDR ICoE-RIGCC);

4. IRDR NC Australia's Building Resilience to Heat Impacts Consortium in Australia; and

5. the University of Glasgow's Urban Big Data Centre.

Beyond the presentations, an open mic session will provide all participants—including early-career researchers and young scientists—with the opportunity to contribute insights, identify shared challenges, and discuss research gaps. The workshop will conclude with a wrap-up session to define concrete follow-up actions, reinforcing IRDR’s commitment to mobilising science for effective disaster risk reduction.

• Date: Tuesday, 1 September 2026

• Time: 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Beijing Time)

• Online meeting platform: Zoom

• Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/99125583843?pwd=jFUFyegCrbKwL24oWc2KORRVcCKNs7.1

• Meeting ID: 991 2558 3843

• Meeting Passcode: 628643

This event represents a key step in strengthening the IRDR Climate Change and Health workstream, fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue, and building lasting connections between IRDR ICoEs, IRDR NCs, and individual researchers worldwide. All IRDR researchers, partners, and early-career scientists are warmly invited to attend.

For more information about the workshop please contact Ms. Fang Lian, IRDR's Science Officer, at fang.lian@irdrinternational.org.