The ClimateHUB aims to establish a robust learning network to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region, focusing on designing healthy and climate-resilient cities, while also taking into account the risk of climate sensitive diseases.

Watch our introduction video and read more about our mission and research below.

Stakeholder network and transdisciplinary collaboration

To better understand the process of climate adaptation in Rotterdam, the researchers have conducted in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including representatives from the Rotterdam municipality, Rotterdams Weerwoord, the regional water boards, the local public health authority, and the Province of South Holland. These conversations provided valuable insights into ongoing institutional roles, to the climate adaptation design process and challenges related to climate resilience.

Building on these insights, a transdisciplinary workshop was organized that brought together participants from diverse professional backgrounds. The workshop combined presentations to inform participants about mosquito risks in urban areas, an urban walk to show these challenges on-site, and group discussions where stakeholders jointly assessed the climate adaptation process and explored potential risks related to mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.

Together, the interviews and workshop not only enable the researchers to map the climate adaptation process in Rotterdam but also to identify critical risk points for mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.

Knowledge dissemination

From the start of the project, the researchers have prioritized active outreach and knowledge sharing with their stakeholders. In addition to this Convergence website, a quarterly newsletter is issued to share updates from the ClimateHUB project and other research projects related to climate adaptation and health. The newsletters can be found below. Stakeholders are actively invited to subscribe to this newsletter, which is nearing 200 subscriptions. Through these channels, the ClimateHUB shares its project outputs, including the stakeholder analysis, publications and the soon expected decision framework.

Another way the ClimateHUB encourages knowledge dissemination is through student involvement.  The project has provided valuable learning opportunities for four master’s students, who have indicated that the experience has been very informative and beneficial for their thesis.

Decision-framework

The discussions during the co-creation workshop provided valuable input for the first draft of a decision-framework to support the consideration of mosquito risks during the climate adaptation design process . At the same time, the connections formed with stakeholders within this project, particularly from the municipality of Rotterdam and Rotterdams Weerwoord, have already led to requests for advice on planned climate adaptation measures. These interactions clearly highlight the societal relevance of the ClimateHUB.

(International) collaborations

The ClimateHUB is connected to the ‘Climate change and vectorborne virus outbreaks‘ frontrunner project of the Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center, and to the IDAlert project. Moreover, the ClimateHUB methodology for studying transdisciplinary collaboration and health in climate adaptation has attracted international attention, particularly from researchers within the COST-LILY network. Building on this interest, these methods will be applied and further developed in two European cities. This international dimension not only validates the broader relevance of the approach but also creates opportunities for cross-country learning and comparison, strengthening the impact and applicability of the decision framework beyond the Dutch context.

National symposium on Climate Adaptation and Infectious Diseases

To conclude the first phase of the project, a national symposium on Climate Adaptation and Infectious Diseases is organized on 6 November, which will mark both the closing of ClimateHUB and the launch of ClimateHUB-ID.

This symposium will bring together researchers working on related themes, policymakers, local stakeholders, and practitioners to share our findings, exchange insights from other relevant projects, and initiate broader discussions on the integration of health considerations into climate adaptation. The event is designed not only as a platform for dissemination but also as a catalyst for new collaborations and dialogue on building healthier, climate-resilient cities.

Download the invitation with the full program and the registration link here: