Department Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development

Water and sanitation services are both highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and essential for building climate resilience in cities. These services are also fundamental to prevent the transmission and (re-)emergence of infectious diseases. Yet in low-resource settings, investments in urban water and sanitation infrastructure often fail to materialize or sustain public health benefits.

The Public Health, Infrastructure and Climate research group develops operational research in close collaboration with humanitarian and development agencies. Our work focuses on the challenges of improving water supply and sanitation infrastructure in low-resource settings and complex, protracted crises. We also investigate emerging vulnerabilities and opportunities linked to climate change, recognizing the central role of water and sanitation services in climate adaptation.

Our goal is to generate actionable scientific evidence to support the delivery of safe, climate-resilient services that effectively prevent infectious diseases, contribute to improving public health and, ultimately, promote better development outcomes.