Tampere preparing for the health impacts of climate change (AURORA project)

AURORA is a research project that focuses on anticipating and preventing the effects of climate change. The main objective of the AURORA project is to monitor and model factors related to climate and public health, as well as their combined effects.

The project will create a digital platform that uses research data to provide warnings and targeted recommendations to protect public health and city residents from the health effects of climate change. The platform also supports decision-making. The project operates in the EU's boreal climate zone, which is characterized by long, cold winters, short, cool summers, and coniferous forest vegetation.  

A total of 26 research, public administration, technology, and expert service providers from 11 different countries are involved in the project.

Sub-objectives:

Objective 1 – Deepen understanding of the health impacts of stress factors caused by climate change.  

Objective 2 – Improve the ability to anticipate the health impacts of climate change by working together to develop:  

• models that take into account socioeconomic factors and opportunities for adaptation to climate change
• forecasting tools that help to understand and prepare for future risks and
• a platform that uses the above-mentioned models and climate and health data to support decision-makers in adapting to and preparing for climate change.  

Objective 3 – Improve proactive decision-making and the health care system's preparedness for climate change:

• by producing advance warnings and proposals for measures related to the health impacts of climate change and
• assessing the health impacts and effectiveness of various mitigation solutions.  
   

Objective 4 – Test the functionality of the AURORA tools in five cities in the Baltic Sea region (Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn, Tampere, Pori) and replicate the results in three other municipalities (Klaipėda, Jūrmala, Joniškis).  

Objective 5 – Bring the solutions developed in AURORA into widespread use through effective communication, cooperation, and training. 

AURORA actors have extensive experience in research projects. The project is based on the "One Health" approach, which combines environmental, animal and human health into a single entity. The solutions developed in the project will benefit all walks of life.