Network
Founded in 2020 as a transdisciplinary and international platform bringing together researchers and partners who are working on the climate-migration-health nexus. The network consists of a coordination team housed at Ghent University, a steering committee, and members consisting of academic institutions, NGOs and individuals from more than 40 countries around the world.
Network
Founded in 2020 as an interdisciplinary and international platform bringing together researchers and partners who are working on the climate-migration-health nexus. The network consists of a coordination team housed at Ghent University, a steering committee, and members consisting of academic institutions, NGOs and individuals from more than 40 countries around the world.
Coordination team
The coordination team of CliMigHealth is based at Ghent University (Belgium) and oversees the daily organisation of the network.

Ilse Ruyssen
Director
Biography
Ilse Ruyssen is Associate Research Professor in Migration Economics at the Department of Economics of Ghent University and affiliated Research Fellow at the UNU-CRIS. She is the director of the CliMigHealth International Thematic Network, uniting scholars around the world from multiple disciplines working on the nexus between climate change, migration and health(care). Her research focuses on the factors shaping migration decisions and immobility (with particular attention for the role of climate change, health and retain factors), as well as the implications of (non-)migration for the livelihoods of individuals and communities. She teaches various courses in migration and international economics at Ghent University, chairs the facultary Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, and coordinates the International Trade, Migration and Investment research group at her Department.
Skills and Expertise
International Migration, Multiculturalism, Gender Studies, Panel Data, International Economics, Human Rights, Development Economics, Human Capital, Ethnicity, Cultural Diversity.

Charlotte Scheerens
Coordinator – charlotte.scheerens@ugent.be
Biography
Charlotte Scheerens is a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University and is the the coordinator of CliMigHealth. Her research interests are temperature and pollution impacts on COPD, integrated and equitable primary health care approaches, planetary health and climate change (and migration)-related health risks. She is affiliated with BIDMC’s Institute for lung health, UNU-CRIS, the Lancet Migration and the WHO Technical working group on equity of the Global Health Workforce. She is involved in policy work for the Belgian governments, through committees on climate and health and just transition, and the New Green Deal Zorg. She was also former coordinator of Climate Express, a Belgian non-profit demanding higher climate ambition through mass mobilization.
Skills and expertise
Environmental health, Planetary Health, Temperature and Air Pollutants, Integrated Primary Care, COPD, Health System Equity
Steering Committee
The steering committee meets every two months to discuss strategic matters, and is composed of fourteen members: the director and coordinator, two leads per research stream (three for the Migration stream), and one responsible for the regional Africa hub. They are displayed hereunder.

Ilse Ruyssen (Chair)
Faculty of Economics, Ghent University, Belgium.

Charlotte Scheerens (co-Chair)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium.

Els Bekaert (Lead junior program)
Faculty of Economics, Ghent University, Belgium.

Christian Lueme Lokotola (Africa hub lead)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Hans Keune (co-lead Methodology)
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle (co-lead Methodology)
Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Germany.

Nidhi Nagabhatla (co-lead Climate)
United Nations University-CRIS, and Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Canada.

Rashmi Venkatraman (co-lead Climate)
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.

Inmaculada Martinez-Zarzoso (co-lead Migration)
Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Goettingen, Germany.

Michaella Vanore (co-lead Migration)
Maastricht Graduate School for Governance, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.

Robert Oakes (co-lead Migration)
Environment and Migration: Interactions and Choices (EMIC) Section
United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), International Organisation.

Eveline DeCoster (co-lead Health)
AZ Delta, Belgium.

Rita Issa (co-lead Health)
Faculty of Climate Change and Migration, University College London, United Kingdom.

Arthur Wyns (co-lead Governance)
The Lancet Countdown.

Vijay Kumar Chattu (co-lead Governance)
ReSTORE Lab, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Canada.
Members
Academic institutions and NGOs (updated monthly)
- Africa Climate and Environment Foundation (ACEF)
- Africa Platform of Ghent University Association
- Center for Global Health, Aarhus University
- Center for the Social Study of Migration and Refugees (CESSMIR), Ghent University
- Center on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Commission of Medical Residency, Lúrio University
- Conflict Research Group, Ghent University
- Dept. Economics, Ghent University
- Dept. European, Public and International Law, Ghent University
- Dept. Family Medicine, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES)
- Dept. Family Medicine, Makerere University
- Dept. Family Medicine and Primary Care, Stellenbosch University
- Dept. Family Medicine & Primary Health Care, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
- Dept. Nursing, Stellenbosch University
- Dept. Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University
- Dept. Public Health, University of Lomé
- Dept. Social Work and Social Pedagogy, Ghent University
- Ethiopian Early Childhood Network (EECN)
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University
- Family Medicine, Global and Public Health Unit (FMGPH), University of Zimbabwe
- Global Health Research and Innovations Canada (GHRIC)
- GroundWork South Africa
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Heidelberg University
- Institute for Global Health, University College London
- International Centre of Reproductive Health (ICRH), Ghent University
- Jimma University
- KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Lancet Migration
- Primary Care International
- Primary Health Care Directorate, University of Cape Town
- RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment
- Salud por Derecho
- School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University
- SustyVibes
- The Royal College of General Practitioners
- United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
- United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT)
- United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS)
- World Health Organisation Collaborating Center on Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Ghent University
Individuals (updated monthly)
- Aboi JK Madaki Dept. Family Medicine, University of Jos
- Aina Roca Barcelo School of Public Health, Imperial College London
- Akye Essuman Dept. Community Health, University of Ghana
- Alan Dangour Climate & Health, Wellcome Trust
- Aline Vandenbroeck School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago
- Alissa Verclyte Ghent University
- Alix Debray Dept. Economics, Ghent University and UNU-CRIS
- Amal Sarsour UNU-CRIS
- Andrew Ross Dept. Family Medicine, University of KwaZulu Natal
- Anne Galle WHO-CC on Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Ghent University
- Ashraf Kagee Dept. Psychology, Stellenbosch University
- Azubuike Erinugha Brothers Movie
- Bolatito Fatusin Consultant Family Physician at Federal Government, Nigeria
- Brent Bleys Dept. Economics, Ghent University
- Callum Forbes University of Global Health Equity and Program in Global Surgery and Social Change
- Celia McMichael School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne
- David Deconinck KU Leuven and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- David King General Practice Clinical Unit, University of Queensland
- Elzarie Theron Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Cape Town
- Filip Maric Environmental Physiotherapy Association
- Florian Lauryssen Dept. Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven
- Fulla Sharaf Intern CliMigHealth, Ghent University
- Galiya Kabirova Royal College of General Practitioners
- Giovanni Peri Dept. Economics, University of California, Davis
- Glenn Rayp Dept. Economics, Ghent University
- Gulnaz Mohamoud Dept. Family Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital
- Hans Ngo Center for Global Studies, University of Washington
- Hoffie Conradie Dept. Family Medicine and Primary Care, Stellenbosch University
- Ilan Kelman Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London and Dept. Global Development and Planning, University of Agder
- Jacques Gihana Nkera-Gutabara HQS Consulting
- James Irlam Primary Health Care Directorate, University of Cape Town
- James Mawanda One Planet Network
- Joachim de Wilderman Ghent University
- Johannes Hugo Dept. Health Sciences, University of Pretoria
- Joy Mugambi
- Julia Baert
- Julia Puebla Fortier Arts & Health South West
- Jurrien Toonen KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Karien Mostert Dept. Physiotherapy, University of Pretoria
- Kathi Zangerl Heidelberg Institute for Global Health
- Kees van der Geest UNU-EHS
- Kenneth Yakubu The George Institute
- Kwan Soo-Chen United Nations University International Institute for Global Health
- Laurel Baldwin-Ragaven Dept. Family Medicine, University of Witwatersrand
- Lise Vanden Hautte Global Health Student, Ghent University
- Louis Wauters Ghent University
- Lucie Blondé B-Fast
- Maaike Flinkenflogel School of Nursing, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
- Malte Behrendt Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University and UNU-CRIS
- Marte Martens Ghent University
- Mashudu Manafe Dept. Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
- Ndifreke E. Udonwa Dept. Family Medicine, University of Calabar and University of Calabar Teaching Hospital
- Nima Yaghmaei Dept. Global Health, KIT Tropical Royal Institute
- Olivier Degomme Dept. Public Health and Primary Care and ICRH, Ghent University
- Patrick Van Damme Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
- Pauline Scheelbeek Dept. Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Peter Delobelle Dept. Public Health, VUB and Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa, University of Cape Town
- Polina Koriukina UNU-CRIS
- Prisca Zwanikken Unit Global Health, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Rajnish Prasad Asia Pacific Regional Office, UN Women
- Robert Mash Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Stellenbosch University
- Roeland Kindt World Agroforestry CIFOR-ICRAF
- Samuel Lietaer FPS Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment
- Sander Soenens Ghent University
- Sarah Delaere Global Health Student, Ghent University
- Sarah Newman Climate Mental Health Network
- Sharon Baute Dept. Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz
- Sofie Jacobse Dept. General Practice, Erasmus MC and Zorg voor Klimaat
- Sofie Spiers Ghent University
- Sonja Fransen School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University
- Sonya Fernandes
- Sorona Toma CESSMIR, Ghent University
- Stéphanie De Maesschalck CESSMIR, Ghent University
- Steven van de Vijver Dept. Family Medicine, OLVG and Amsterdam Health and Technology Institute
- Stijn Speelman Dept. Agricultural Economics, Ghent University
- Thembekile Dhlamini Dept. Global Health, Stellenbosch University
- Tibo Uyttersprot Health Care Without Harm
- Veerle Vyncke Dept. Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University
- Vincent Goossens Dept. Marketing, Innovation and Organisation, Ghent University
- Vincent Setlhare Dept. Family Medicine and Public Health, University of Botswana
- Yasir Mohammed Zaroug Elradi MOH Dhaman Company
- Yves Jackson Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals
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