CliMaH Project

Studying the health effects of climate change in Mozambique

Exploring the impact of climate change and urbanization on maternal and child health in Mozambique using digital data: the CliMaH project

The CLIMAH project investigates how climate-related displacement and urbanization affect health outcomes in Mozambique, using satellite and health data to support gender-responsive health system planning.

Launched: April 1, 2025
Focus Countries: Mozambique
Partners: 3 in Switzerland, 2 in Mozambique
Approach: Interdisciplinary · Mixed Methods · Policy-Engaged

Project Overview

Climate change is transforming the world, and nowhere is this more evident than in Africa. Mozambique in particular has been subject to increasing extreme weather events, reduced agricultural productivity, rapid urbanization, and a high burden of weather-related morbidity and mortality. The burden of these impacts falls most heavily on women and children.

Despite increasing recognition of these risks, there is a lack of comprehensive, gender-sensitive, governance-oriented approaches that integrate environmental, urban, and health data to study the full impact of climate change on human well-being in Africa.

The CliMaH project aims to fill this gap through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that combines:

  • Satellite and climate data
  • Mixed-methods fieldwork in urban hotspots
  • Health impact modeling
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Policy translation and roadmap development

Aims

The project has three overarching goals:

  1. Map the interplay between climate change, urbanization, population movement, and demographic change using satellite data and remote sensing tools.
  2. Understand and predict the effects of climate and urbanization trends on maternal and child health in Mozambique using field studies and modeling.
  3. Develop a generalizable “road map” for climate change impact assessment, integrating mixed-methods, stakeholder engagement, and transdisciplinary collaboration.

Work Packages

  • WP1: Remote sensing and geospatial analysis of land use, agriculture, and climate variability
  • WP2: Mixed-methods study in 3–4 urban climate hotspots to examine maternal and child health impacts
  • WP3: Modeling of the linkages between land use, climate variability, and health outcomes
  • WP4: Stakeholder engagement and consortium-building across sectors and institutions
  • WP5: Development of a replicable and policy-oriented climate impact assessment roadmap

Our Vision

CliMaH seeks to spearhead a shift in the climate change and disaster response paradigm:
From siloed, reactive approaches → to intersectoral, predictive, and inclusive frameworks.

By collaborating across fields—including public health, satellite sciences, urban studies, and policy—we aim to build a foundation for prospective management of emergent health threats in the face of climate change.

“CliMaH stands for climate, maternal and child health—but also for clarity, collaboration, and change.”

Contact

For more information, collaboration inquiries, or access to preliminary findings:

📧 andrea.farnham@uzh.ch
🌍 andrea-farnham.gitlab.io

Back to top