Co-designing a realist evaluation framework for early warning systems in Victoria, Australia

Australians are increasingly exposed to dangerous combinations of heat and air pollution due to climate change and related extreme events such as bushfires during heatwave days. Supported by CSA, this project will estimate the health impacts and deaths linked to combined exposures to air pollution and heat in Victoria over the past 14 years. It will also co-design a robust framework to evaluate and improve early warning systems with government agencies, emergency services, health advocates, and communities. The findings will guide development of inclusive, multi-hazard early warning systems to protect vulnerable populations and strengthen Victoria’s resilience to climate disasters.