First GHHIN Southeast Asia Heat Health Forum

Day 1: Urgency Day 

• Welcome Address
  • Professor Chong Yap Seng, Dean, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
• Insights The Global Heat Health Information Network’s Journey & Future Vision
  • Advancing Global Heat Resilience - Dr Joy Shumake-Guillemot, Co-founder and Co-Chair of Global Heat Health Information Network; and Lead of WHO - WMO Joint Office for Climate & Health 
  • Glohal Heat Health Information Network Southeast Asia Hub - Assoc Prof Jason Lee, Chair of GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub; and Director of Heat Resilience & Performance Centre, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS
• Community Voices
  • Ms Ishma F. Soepriadi, Country Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (DMERL) Lead, American Red Cross - Indonesia Delegation
• Keynote: The Urban Heat Challenge: Innovations, Strategies, and Resilience for Sustainable Cities
  • Prof Winston Chow, Prof of Urban Climate of Singapore Management University (SMU); and Co-Chair of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• Insights Future Climate Change Projections for Southeast Asia
  • Dr Aurel Moise, Head of Department, Centre for Climate Research Singapore
• Panel Presentation Urban Heat: Addressing Vulnerabilities & Enhancing Adaptation
  • Beating the Heat: Reducing Health-inequalities under Climate Change in Hong Kong - Assoc Prof Ren Chao, Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture, University of Hong Kong (HKU)
  • Urban Heat: Vulnerable Communities and Service Adaptation - Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General, Singapore Red Cross
  • Shaping a Heat-Resilient City - Mr Chiu Wen Tung, Group Director (Research & Development), Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
  • Cooling people with air movement - Prof Stefano Schiavon, Professor, Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

• Keynote: Heat at work: Navigating Occupational Heat Stress
  • Dr Ken C. Shawa, Senior Economist & Head of Regional and Economic Analysis Unit (RESA), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Expert Roundtable Regional Insights and Action to address Occupational Heat Stress
• Panel Presentation Heat at work: Exertional Heat Stress, Productivity & Performance
  • Heat Stress Management in Sports - Ms Delphine Fong, Division Head, Sport Safety, Sport Singapore
  • Novel practical body cooling techniques and wearable measurements for core temperature in occupational heat exposure - Dr Ken Tokizawa, Senior Researcher, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan (JNIOSH)
  • Economic impacts of climate change- related health risks - Prof Cai Wenjia, Professor, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University
  • Considerations for developing a national Occupational Heat Exposure Standard and Guideline for implementation - Dr Thomas Gassert, Instructor in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • The health impacts of climate change on informal outdoor workers in urban Vietnam - Dr Anh Ngoc Vu, Research Director, Climate Change Lead, Project Lead £1.3million Wellcome Trust funded project 'The health impacts of climate change on precarious outdoor workers in megacities in Vietnam', National Centre for Social Research (United Kingdom)
• Parallel Session 1 People, Health, & Livelihoods
  • 1A: Women & Children
    • BEAT the Heat for Children: An Overview and Recommendations - Dr Mrunal Shetye, Chief of Health, UNICEF Indonesia
    • How high heat impacts childhood physical activity, fitness, literacy, and its lifelong health implications - Dr Shawnda Morrison, Senior Research Fellow, Human Potential Translational Research Programme, National University of Singapore (NUS)
    • #BeatTheHeat: RCRC Youth-led Climate Solutions - Ms Michelle Shi Jie Chew, Chairperson of IFRC Youth Commission, Malaysian Red Crescent Society; IFRC Global Youth Commission
  • 1B: Older adults, Chronic Conditions & Disabilities
    • A Hot Topic: Medication-Induced Risks for Older Adults in the Heat - Mr Jericho Wee, PhD Candidate, Human Potential Translational Research Programme, National University of Singapore (NUS)
    • Higher heat impact on people with disabilities in South Korea: How to make policy more inclusive? - Ms. Jinah Park, PhD Student, Public Health Sciences, Seoul National University
    • The development and pilot testing of an individualised heat early warning system in Queensland, Australia - Dr Zhiwei Xu, Research Fellow, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University
  • 1C: Mental health, Decision-making, & Learning
    • Connecting Climate Minds: Protecting Mental Health in an Era of a Warming Planet- Assoc Prof Renzo Guinto, Committee on Environmental Health and Ecology, Philippine Medical Association; Member, National Panel of Technical Experts, Climate Change Commission, Philippines
    • Climate anxiety, ecological grief, and the increasing incidence of mental health conditions: How are we prepared to respond to the climate related mental health and psychosocial impact? - Dr Eliza Yee Lai CHEUNG, Lead, Asia Pacific MHPSS Collaborative, IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Office
    • Climate in Mind: Navigating the Psychological Impact of a Changing Environment - Dr Cyrus Ho Su Hui, Assistant Professor and Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychological Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS)
• Parallel Session 2 Challenges & Strategies for Heat Resilience
  • 2A. Heat-resilient Cities & Indoor Environments
    • Climate Modelling and Analytics for Urban Heat Risks Mitigation and Adaptation – Assoc Prof Yuan Chao, Associate Professor, NUS Cities, National University of Singapore (NUS)
    • Unlocking the Potential of Private Sector Innovation in Microclimate Monitoring - Mr Joseph Deng, Head of Business Development, APAQ Group
    • Design Guidelines for Healthy and Climate Resilient Affordable Housing - Mr Ashok B Lall, Principal of Ashok B Lall Architects; and Network Changemaker of Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN)
    • Learning the ins and outs of heat stress: The Resilience 4 Communities program in Melaka, Malaysia - Asst Prof Perrine Hamel, Assistant Professor, Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
  • 2B. Heat-responsive Health Services & Surveillance System
    • Heat, Health and Health Systems - Ms Sally Edwards, Coordinator, Health and the Environment (HAE), Division of Healthy Environments and Populations, WHO-Western Pacific Region (WPRO)
    • Heat Exposure and Human Health in Vietnam: Impacts, Vulnerabilities, Challenges, and Heat-Responsive Health Strategies - Dr Tran Nu Quy Linh, Senior Research Officer, School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Australia
    • Heat surveillance and warning system in Korea: An Overview of Strategy and Implementation - Prof Ho Kim, Professor, Public Health Sciences, Seoul National University
  • 2C. Risk Communications & Media
    • Communicating the causes and risks of global heating: What is the role of the media? - Ms Amy Sim, Regional Program Manager for Asia-Pacific (Environment), Internews' Earth Journalism Network
    • From Urban Heat to Climate Solutions: Engaging Citizens for Change - Dr Samuel Chng, Research Assistant Professor, Urban Psychology Lab, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
    • What lies behind public perceptions of risk and why do their perceptions matter? - Dr Olivia Jensen, Deputy Director and Lead Scientist (Environment and Climate), Lloyd's Register Foundation Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk, National University of Singapore (NUS)

• Community Voices
  • Dr Jaya Shreedhar, Senior Health Media Advisor, Internews
  • Ms Paritta Wangkiat, Mekong Program Officer, Internews' Earth Journalism Network
• Keynote: Extreme Heat Services & Early Warning Systems
  • Dr John Nairn, Senior Advisor Extreme Heat (retired), World Meteorological Organization
• Insights Early Warning: Climate Knowledge and Services for Early Action
  • Dr Rupa Kumar Kolli, Honorary Scientist, International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM)
• Panel Presentation: What does Heat Governance & Heat Action Plans look like for our region
  • Heat Planning and Resilience in the US - Ms Juli Trtanj, Climate and Health Program Director and One Health Lead, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  • Heat Risk Assessment and the Process of Developing the Simplified Early Action Protocol for Heatwaves in Myanmar - Ms Moe Thida Win, Director, Disaster Management, Myanmar Red Cross Society
  • Heat Action Plans and Heat Governance in India - Mr Abhiyant Tiwari, Lead - Climate Resilience and Health, India Program, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
• IFRC Side Event 
  • Stay Cool, Stay Prepared - Ms Sahari Ani
  • Strengthening Community Adaptation to Urban Heat in Hong Kong - Ms Eva Yeung

• Keynote: Protecting Communities: Increasing Outreach & Fostering Action for Heat
  • Dr Gwendolyn Pang, Secretary General, Philippine Red Cross
• Panel Presentation Heat from a Historical, Traditional, & Cultural Lens
  • Heat and Health in Chinese History - Dr Christopher Courtney, Associate Professor (Modern Chinese History), Durham University
  • Our heaty Earth needs cooling tea - A peek into TCM culture - Physician Brandon Yew, Partner / Senior TCM Physician, Real Health Medical Pte Ltd
  • Why Heritage Conservation is Considered Green Development - Drawing examples from George Town World Heritage Site - Ms Lim Gaik Siang, Immediate Past President, Penang Heritage Trust
• Expert Roundtable Taking a Multi-Hazard Emergency Management Approach to Extreme Heat
  • Dr Sanjay Srivastava, Chief, Disaster Risk Reduction, ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) (Slides)
  • Dr Luis C. Rodriguez, Thematic Lead, Climate and Resilience; Health, Disasters, Climate and Crises, IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Office (Slides)
  • Prof Benjamin Horton, Director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore, Professor at the Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) (Slides)
• Panel Presentation Regional Research Showcase: Capacity Building in and for the Region
  • Institutionalizing climate resilience in higher education institutions - Prof Yodi Mahendradhata, Dean for Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada
  • Heat health study at Mahidol University, Thailand - Asst Prof Juthamard Surapongchai, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University
  • Building resilience to extreme heat and hot weather across the human lifespan - Prof Ollie Jay, Professor of Heat and Health, University of Sydney
• Closing Remarks
  • Assoc Prof Jason Lee, Chair of GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub; and Director of Heat Resilience & Performance Centre, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS

• Effect modification of particulate matter air pollution on heat-related mortality in five provinces of Thailand: a two-stage time-series study -  Assoc Prof Yoonhee Kim, University of Tokyo, Japan
• Intersectional vulnerabilities and strategies to address climate-related occupational health and safety risks in Tanzanian seaweed workers - Dr Dorothy Ngajilo, University of Cape Town, South Africa
• Assessing a decision-support tool for urban heat mitigation in Southeast Asia - Dr Emma Ramsay, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Weather-connected tolerance as a heat management strategy in Singapore - Dr Joshua Dao-Wei Sim, National University of Singapore
• Outdoor Heat Perception and Adaptive Behaviors in Semi-Urban Communities: Insights from a Longitudinal Study in Malaysia - Dr Min Thu, South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO)
• Investigation of Heat-stroke Deaths at a Mass Gathering Event, District A, India, April 2023 - Dr Nivethitha N Krishnan, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, India
• From Policy to Practice: India's Heat-Health Response Journey under National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health - Dr Purvi Patel, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, India
• The Paradox of Aircon Reliance in The Urban Tropics - Dr Sarah Chan, Singapore University of Technology and Design
• Impact of heatwave timing on dengue fever infection in four South and Southeast Asian countries: A modelling study - Dr Yawen Wang, The University of Hong Kong
• Urban Heat and Health Vulnerabilities in Mumbai - Mr Rakesh Ravikumar, Tarutium Global Consulting
• High levels of heat stress will become the norm in Southeast Asia - Ms Sonali Manimaran, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Building Resilience: Occupational Health for Agricultural Workers in a Changing Climate - Prof Efi Yuliati Yovi, IPB University, Bandung, Indonesia
•  Mitigating Urban Heat and Its Health Impacts through Green Space: Insights from Vietnam - Tran Ngoc Dang & Nguyen Thien Minh, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

• NUS-based hub to build a regional network that can respond to South-east Asia’s heat problem- The Straits Times (January 8, 2025)
• ‘Heat stress is a silent killer’: How heat can affect mental health in workers - The Straits Times (January 9, 2025)
• Use fan with air-con set at higher temperature to stay cool, save energy: Expert at heat forum - The Straits Times (January 10, 2025)
• Degrees of danger: Beating the heat in South-east Asia- The Straits Times (January 10, 2025)
• Traditional medicine has a role to play in treating heat injuries, but more research is needed- The Straits Times (January 13, 2025)
• Early action plans for heat a priority for Red Cross and Red Crescent network - The Straits Times (January 22, 2025)
• 2024 Becomes the Hottest Year on Record: How Prepared is the Indonesian Government to Face Extreme Weather? - Kompas TV (January 26, 2025)
• Life Without Power Spells Daily Misery for Yangon’s Residents - The Irrawady (January 29, 2025)
• Lives under the scorching sun: Outdoor workers racing against climate change - The Leader (January 30, 2025)
• It’s time to take the heat seriously, experts warn - Inquirer Plus (February 4, 2025)