Developing data science solutions to mitigate the health impacts of climate change in Africa.
About HE²AT
The HEat and HEalth African Transdisciplinary (HE²AT) Center develops innovative data science solutions to address the health impacts of climate change across Africa. As a collaborative research initiative, the center brings together partners from South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and the USA to create strategies and tools that can be implemented across the continent to support climate resilience.
The HE²AT Center focuses on strengthening capacity and developing data science tools that contribute to urban climate resilience strategies, helping cities and vulnerable populations prepare for the health risks associated with climate change.
United States of America
Zimbabwe
South Africa
Kenya
Côte d'Ivoire
United States of America
Zimbabwe
South Africa
Kenya
Côte d'Ivoire
The HE²AT Center Public Webinar
Our expert panel shared the latest achievements and discussed future directions in African climate-health research. The session explored the center’s core focus areas, addressing key challenges, advancements, and collaborative efforts driving the field forward.
Read our Impact Stories
See how HE²AT is already making a difference across Africa by transforming data into action.
Climate and Health in Africa: Lessons from the Harare Declaration
Author: Alice McClure Training and Engagement Core (TEC) Coordinator, HE²AT Center Researcher, Climate System Analysis Group (CSAG), University of Cape Town, South Africa As the Training and Engagement Core (TEC) Coordinator at HE²AT, I work with a team that supports...
More Stories…
Explore our Resources
Dive into insights from our researchers, including blogs, publications, and other content that showcase our work in climate-health across Africa.
HE²AT BLOG
PUBLICATIONS
VIDEOS
Addressing the Health Impacts of a Warming World
Climate change is one of the most pressing health threats of the 21st century. Periods of extreme heat are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged, leading to significant—though often underappreciated—health impacts, particularly in low-income settings. Vulnerable populations are at increased risk, making the need for data-driven solutions more critical than ever.
The steady rise in global temperatures, driven by human activities, has already resulted in severe health outcomes, including increased mortality from heat exposure, cardiovascular issues, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and spikes in infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue. Without significant interventions, the burden on health systems in Africa will continue to grow, underscoring the urgent need for innovative, data-driven approaches to monitor, predict, and address these impacts.
Our Aims
The HE²AT Center works to address these challenges through three primary goals:
1
Build a Data Science Ecosystem
Create a platform that enables the re-use of existing environmental, biomedical, and other data, providing a foundation for innovative data science analyses.
2
Develop Sustainable Solutions
Generate knowledge and create long-term solutions for addressing critical research priorities at the intersection of climate change and health.
3
Advance Capacity in Data Science Strengthen the ability of early-career researchers and key organizations in East and West Africa to apply data science to climate-health challenges.
Meet Our Partners
Our work wouldn’t be possible without the collaborative efforts of our partners.
