Extreme weather events have a significant impact on public health, essential urban services, infrastructure and people’s livelihoods. Vulnerable populations in particular are therefore at increased risk of serious health problems due to climate change. To better understand the dynamics between climate change and health in urban areas, five research projects have been funded within the Merian Fund call ‘Extreme Heat and Water Events: Mitigating the Adverse Health Effects of Climate Change in Cities’. 

This call, a collaboration between NWO and the Brazilian São Paulo Research Foundation, called for research proposals that offer innovative, practical solutions to health effects of climate change. The consortia consist of researchers and civil society partners from both the Netherlands and Brazil. Among the recipients are Maria Nogal and Émile Sylvestre from TU Delft, valued collaborators of the PDPC.

Maria Nogal, also member of the PDPC Modeling for Preparedness initiative, is co-applicant for the project ‘UrbanHealthTwin: A participatory digital twin to investigate the effects of Nature-Based Solutions on climate change-induced urban health challenges’, led by Johan Ninan. UrbanHealthTwin develops a digital tool that integrates climate data, water dynamics, and community insights to help cities like São Paulo and Rotterdam address heat, flooding, and mosquito-borne disease risks. By improving early warnings, disease risk assessment, and nature-based solutions, the project supports healthier, more climate-resilient urban planning with global relevance.

Émile Sylvestre will research how to make water systems safer by monitoring and managing pathogenic microbes like Legionella in cooling towers and irrigation systems. In his project, called ‘MicroSafe: Microbiome-Based Strategies for Safe Climate -Resilient Engineered Water Systems’, he combines microbiome research, real-world monitoring, and innovative treatments to develop early warning tools and proactive strategies to reduce disease risks in the Netherlands and Brazil.

The PDPC would like to congratulate Maria and Émil for this great achievement, and wish them best of luck in this important research. Read more about the projects and Merian Fund programme on the NWO website.