SciDev.Net

CHIEX investigates how climate variability affects human health in the tropical Americas. It runs projects in Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and Venezuela, and focuses specifically on the spread of dengue fever and malaria in these countries. These projects have practical implications; for example, a study in Cuba led to the development of a "bioclimatological" monitoring system that uses climatic predictions to prevent and control disease.

The health gateway of the Climate Institute, which aims to help policymakers tackle climate change, has detailed notes on the resurgence of infectious diseases through global warming. These include vector-borne diseases spread through mosquitoes, ticks, triatomine bugs, sandflies and blackflies. It also looks at rodent-borne diseases, which are also set to increase as the climate changes — increased heavy rainfall can drive rodents out of their burrows and climate change is set to alter human migration patterns which could bring people into closer contact with rodents.

Climate-L.org, run by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, publishes information on international climate change negotiations and other related activities, including updates on UN processes and notification of research publications. The information is arranged by actors involved, activities undertaken or issues considered (including reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation – REDD). Site highlights include regular policy updates and a diary of upcoming events.

The GHF's mission is to document the impact of climate change on humans, much of which is health-related. The website expands on the forum's key goal to raise awareness of "climate injustice", by which it means that the world's poor who cause "less than 1 per cent of global emissions, suffer 99 per cent of the casualties". The GHF achieves this goal through advocacy, especially at major climate change conferences. The organisation also works with public and private partners on key projects, including Weather Info For All, which seeks to provide reliable weather information to vulnerable communities affected by climate change.

The Guardian Environment website publishes news and commentary on environmental issues such as climate change, energy, ethical living, food and recycling.

It also provides blogs, job listings and multimedia, including audio and video podcasts. Users can comment and are encouraged to join discussions.

The website also aggregates relevant news from members of the Guardian Environment Network, which brings together the world's best environment websites including SciDev.Net, China Dialogue, Real Science and the World Resources Institute.

This partnership of government and non-government organisations, researchers, international bodies and the private sector has a much-called for goal: to increase cooperation between organisations involved different sectors such as health, climate, humanitarian assistance, ecosystems, research and operational services.

The partners collaborate on regional projects to increase capacity within the medical and environmental science communities; use rural communication networks to provide information to remote communities; and enhance the capacity of public-health services to predict and respond quickly to cholera, malaria, meningitis and other climate-sensitive diseases.

The CDC's website on climate change and public health offers the background on why the spread of infectious disease is likely to change in the future. A special section on vector-borne diseases outlines how global warming could lead to the re-emergence of diseases such as dengue fever that have nearly been eradicated in some countries. It links to both the CDC's own program on these diseases as well as further reading material.

The EPA regulates the US government's environmental activities and enforces related legislation. As this website shows, it also undertakes research on the links between human health and the environment. Here the agency summarises some of the key research on climate change and health, including vector-borne disease. Although much of the agency's research does focus on the United States, its studies on how global warming will impact air quality and pollution, for example, are likely to be useful around the world.