As the climate changes, Curtin researchers are using big data to help public health officials and urban planners put climate health strategies into action.
Heatwaves are among Australia’s deadliest natural disasters. From 2007 to 2017, an estimated 36,000 deaths in Australia were attributed to heat. * Cities are becoming more vulnerable to heat-related mortality, due to the more frequent and severe heatwaves driven by climate change and the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect.’
At Curtin’s WHO Collaborating Centre for Climate Change and Health Impact Assessment, the team use big data to help urban planners design cities that protect the health of residents during heatwaves.
The team has built an innovative research platform – the Clean Air Research Data and Analysis Technology (CARDAT). The platform combines population, health and environmental datasets. Using CARDAT, they have found that cities can reduce heat-related health impacts by increasing urban greening and replacing dark, heat-absorbing surfaces with lighter materials. These strategies work in the current and future climate.
“Addressing the climate-health crisis requires a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach that brings together researchers, public health officials, urban planners and policymakers,” Associate Professor Hanigan explains. “Data-driven tools like CARDAT help professionals assess the impact of future climate and health risks before writing policies and starting projects.
“Our Centre uses a research–policy–practice approach that links researchers and government agencies. This creates better health outcomes, more liveable cities and improved biodiversity.”
Learn more about projects by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Climate Change and Health Impact Assessment at research.curtin.edu.au/whocc-cchia/our-work.
* Australian Journal of General Practice (Vol. 54, Issue 1-2, 2025)
Note 1: Mohd Odli et al (2016). Green Roof Technology- Mitigate Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect. MATEC Web of Conferences.
