Improving Public Health Through Climate Action

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center hosted a workshop “Improving Public Health Through Climate Action” led by Dr. Gaurab Basu, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Mumbai, on June 9-10, 2026.

For health professionals in India, the intersection of environmental shifts and disease patterns present a critical challenge and a unique opportunity for leadership. This workshop was designed to equip medical and public health professionals and researchers with tools to more actively engage stakeholders in climate policy to improve the health of the community. To illustrate how data could drive systemic change, this workshop presented three ongoing high-impact projects covering national policy integration, urban transformation, and rural intervention.

Objectives

The workshop brought together a diverse group of public health professionals, researchers, and students to explore the critical intersection between climate change and public health in India. Grounded in the urgent need for evidence-based climate action, the discussions highlighted how localized research and robust data systems can inform policies and guide effective interventions.

Over the course of two days, the sessions:

• Explored mechanisms through which climate change, air pollution, and ecological degradation impacted human health
• Reviewed the latest global research alongside emerging localized evidence
• Considered ways in which climate policy could improve the health of communities
• Discussed opportunities to use community-engaged research to support evidence-based decision-making at different levels of government

Agenda

Introduction to climate change and health 

• Speaker: Dr. Gaurab Basu, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Health Impacts in India

• Speakers: Dr. Poornima Prabhakaran, Director and Dr. Priya Dutta, Senior Research Scientist, Centre for Health Analytics Research and Trends (CHART), Ashoka University and Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC)

Mumbai Climate Action Plan

• Fireside chat with Ms. Sujata Saunik, IAS, Former Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and Harvard Takemi Fellow

India’s Energy Transition 

• Speakers: Mr. Vaibhav Chowdhary, Director and Dr. Aishwarya Ramachandran, Research Manager, Ashoka Centre for a People Centric Energy Transition (ACPET), Ashoka University

The Indian Sundarbans – A Case Study of Global Health Inequities 

• Speaker: Dr. Gaurab Basu

The Role of Indian Cities

• Speakers: Mr. Markus Berensson, Head of Mitigation Research, Mr. Naim Keruwala, Regional Director, South & West Asia, Ms. Honorine van den Broek d’Obrenan, Research Senior Manager, C40 Cities

Best Practices in Community Engagement

• Panel Discussion with Dr. Indrani Bhattacharyya, Chief Executive Officer, Child In Need Institute (CINI) and Mr. Pranay Karuna, Associate Director, Dasra

A New Project on Climate Mitigation in India

• Speakers: Dr. Gaurab Basu, Mr. Markus Berensson, Dr. Poornima Prabhakaran, Mr. Vaibhav Chowdhary