UNMC is a partner site for the new Climate Measurements Center of Excellence at the University of Vermont.
The center, funded by a $2.7 million investment from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology, will help federal climate impact assessment by providing more localized measurements through partners such as UNMC.
UNMC will help the center develop a standard for measuring these impacts, while also helping to work with local leaders and decision-makers to address their effects, said Jesse Bell, PhD, the Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate and Health in the UNMC College of Public Health and director of the UNMC Water, Climate and Health Program.
“With support of the University of Washington, the Water, Climate and Health Program at UNMC will help with the health components of this new center,” Dr. Bell said. “We will coordinate working groups of public health and health care professionals to understand their needs for integrating climate information into their decision-making process.”
Dr. Bell said that by serving as a hub for climate assessment expertise, the new center will empower communities at a higher risk of the negative impacts of climate-related health outcomes to adapt to climate risks more effectively.
The center will mobilize scientists and experts at UVM and nationally to measure and respond to the diverse ways that climate affects U.S. communities, water resources, human health and food systems. Researchers will work with partners in 13 states and jurisdictions – in addition to Nebraska, participating states include Alabama and Washington – that will provide vital insights during the research and can implement solutions in their communities. More regions will be added over time.
The center also will address the lack of consistency across local climate change assessments, which can hinder attempts to mitigate climate change effects on the ground. While most current data on climate change damage covers large geographical areas, local detail is needed to prepare locally for extreme climate events. By connecting experts who can address climate resiliency needs at local levels, the center will generate and disseminate assessment frameworks and toolkits that officials can use to meet the challenges of a changing climate.
“Our interdisciplinary team, working across diverse geographies, will build climate resilience through collaboration with numerous stakeholders, ensuring that climate trends and impacts are addressed equitably, particularly for underrepresented populations such as women, communities of color and low-income groups,” Dr. Bell said.
Learn more about the Water, Climate and Health Program at UNMC by visiting its website.
