After 45 months of research, collaboration and innovation, the CLIMOS Project, which aimed to develop a climate monitoring and decision support framework for sand fly-borne disease detection and mitigation, has officially come to an end.
An EU co-funded consortium bringing together 29 partners, CLIMOS was coordinated by GHTM | IHMT-NOVA and led by Carla Maia, researcher at the Vector-Borne Diseases Research Group (VBD-GHTM).
The project brought together expertise from various disciplines and countries to develop innovative tools and knowledge to support the prediction, prevention and mitigation of health risks associated with sand fly-borne diseases, particularly leishmaniasis. By integrating climate, environmental, epidemiological and socio-economic information, CLIMOS promoted a more proactive, One Health approach to disease preparedness and public health decision-making.
Three key outcomes stand out as the project concludes: the CLIMOS Toolkit, the CLIMOS Early Warning System (EWS) and the CLIMOS Policy Briefs.
1. CLIMOS Toolkit: An Open-Access Knowledge Hub
The CLIMOS Toolkit brings together the materials and resources developed throughout the project on a comprehensive, open-access platform.
Designed for a wide range of users — including members of the public, policymakers, healthcare professionals, veterinarians and researchers — the Toolkit provides resources to support the forecasting, preparedness and mitigation of health risks associated with sand fly-borne diseases.
The available resources include:
- Three CLIMOS Policy Briefs;
- Educational resources, including guides and training materials;
- Educational videos and webinars;
- Prospective scenarios and infographics;
- Open-access illustrations;
- Scientific publications and opinion pieces;
- CLIMOS Talks podcasts.
The CLIMOS Toolkit is available at: https://climos-project.eu/climos-toolkit/
2. CLIMOS Early Warning System
The CLIMOS Early Warning System (EWS) provides timely, science-based information on the risks associated with sand fly-borne diseases.
Designed to support public health professionals, researchers and policymakers, the system uses climate, environmental and epidemiological data to provide early warnings. By anticipating changes in sand fly activity and associated disease risks, the CLIMOS EWS can support the adoption of proactive measures, strengthen preparedness and improve public health response strategies.
A tutorial on how to use the system is available here. The CLIMOS Early Warning System can be accessed here.
3. Three Policy Briefs for Evidence-Informed Action
Throughout the project, CLIMOS produced three Policy Briefs aimed at policymakers and other relevant stakeholders. These briefs translate project findings into practical insights to support prevention and evidence-informed decision-making.
Policy Brief 1 – Strengthening Surveillance and Prevention of Sand Fly-Borne Diseases
This Policy Brief focuses on strengthening the surveillance, monitoring and prevention of diseases transmitted by sand flies, highlighting the importance of coordinated approaches to address emerging and changing disease risks.
Policy Brief 2 – Risk Landscapes for Leishmaniasis Prevention: From Climate Hazard Maps to Risk-Informed One Health Action
Based on the CLIMOS Risk Factor Analysis (Danyang et al., 2026), which assessed approximately 700 socio-economic, climatic and environmental variables, this Policy Brief presents a framework for interpreting different leishmaniasis risk profiles from a public health perspective.
This approach supports the development of more targeted prevention strategies by integrating environmental, climatic and socio-economic factors within a One Health perspective.
Policy Brief 3 – Maximising Impact, Optimising Investment: Cost-Effective Strategies for Leishmaniasis Prevention
The third Policy Brief presents the results of a cost-effectiveness analysis conducted across 18 European and Mediterranean countries.
The analysis compares different preventive interventions — including canine vaccination, insecticide-impregnated collars and vector control measures — with a scenario involving no intervention. The findings provide evidence to support more effective and efficient investment in leishmaniasis prevention.
All three Policy Briefs are available through the CLIMOS Toolkit.
Looking Beyond the Project
The conclusion of CLIMOS marks the end of 45 months of collaborative research, but the tools, knowledge and evidence generated by the project will continue to support research, public health and policymaking.
By connecting climate intelligence, disease surveillance, early warning systems and One Health approaches, CLIMOS has strengthened Europe’s capacity to anticipate and respond to the changing risks posed by sand fly-borne diseases.
GHTM | IHMT-NOVA is proud to have coordinated this international effort, working alongside the 28 partner organisations towards a common goal: advancing knowledge and developing practical solutions that support healthier and more resilient communities in a changing climate.
