The Center for Climate and Health glObal Research on Disasters (CORD) is a global, multi-disciplinary center that conducts research and develops action-oriented strategies to protect health in climate-related disasters globally. CORD is a partnership between seven 4As universities in the USA, Bangladesh, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, the Philippines, and Uganda. Funded by the National Institutes for Health (NIH), CORD was launched in 2024.

CORD explores how climate-related disasters and adaptation affect global health. Through research, community engagement, and innovation, CORD addresses health impacts caused or exacerbated by increases in extreme weather hazards, including floods, droughts, and heatwaves. These disasters are responsible for immense increases in food-, water-, and vector-borne diseases, heat-related illness, and mental health consequences. CORD aims to change that. We engage with target communities to collect critical data on the health effects of climate-related disasters and to recommend feasible and culturally appropriate adaptation policies and practices that reflect the actual needs of those communities. 

CORD aims to develop action-oriented strategies to protect health in climate-related disasters globally.

Our work includes:

• Developing evidence on how to use Anticipatory Action before disasters to protect health and improve health equity in the Global South, using novel trans-disciplinary methods. We work with humanitarian partners to design Anticipatory Action plans and health policies that are tailored for marginalized groups and supportive of community-based action. 

• Developing and piloting community-engaged research strategies, including collaborations with practitioners and policymakers, and the creation of innovative tools for research communication. 

• Creating and hosting the InnovatEd Leaders Network Core, which builds the capacity of the next generation of global research leaders on climate, health and disaster through networking, learning, and representation of early career researchers.

• Building a virtual space for collaboration on climate and health research, leverage our extensive expertise in planning and implementing international collaborations.

“This research is supported by the National Institute Of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P20ES036118. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”