Center for Climate and Health GlObal Research on Disasters (CORD)

The Center for Climate and Health Global Research on Disasters (CORD) is dedicated to developing actionable strategies to protect health and build resilience in climate-related disasters.  Climate change has led to a rise in extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, which significantly contribute to increases in food and water security challenges as well as related health challenges. There is enormous potential to better use weather warnings to avoid these health impacts in a world with increasing climate hazards.  Against this backdrop, CORD is a partnership between seven universities in the USA (Tufts University – global lead), Bangladesh (IWFM, BUET), Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, the Philippines, and Uganda.  With a central hypothesis that “Anticipatory Action can improve health outcomes if it is tailored for equity, supportive of community-based action, and supported by health governance”, the project aims to develop evidence base for policymakers and practitioners on how to design and develop forecast-based Anticipatory Action before disasters to avoid negative health outcomes and promote health equity, using novel trans-disciplinary methods. The research in Bangladesh focuses on how health impacts and warning comprehension for climate-related disasters, especially cyclonic storm surges, are different for women (with particular emphasis on maternal health) and men, and the challenges with and opportunities for anticipatory actions for better health outcomes for women in cyclonic storm surge prone coastal area. CORD is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative.