Emergency departments are the frontlines of both care and climate impact.
When floods, heatwaves, wildfires, and air pollution strike EDs are often the first to see it.
Yet these signals are rarely captured, shared, or acted upon in time.
BEACON-EM is here to change that.
Introducing
BEACON-EM
BEACON-EM: Climate Intelligence from the Frontline
BEACON-EM: Climate Intelligence from the Frontline
What is BEACON-EM.
BEACON-EM is a global sentinel network that transforms emergency departments and prehospital services into real-time climate-health intelligence hubs.
It tracks and maps climate-sensitive health impacts as they emerge using both clinical data and lived experience to build smarter, faster, and more equitable responses to environmental risk.
"We’re not just reporting impacts we’re forecasting and preventing harm."
Why it
Matters.
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Climate events are increasing in frequency and intensity.
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Many communities lack early warning systems and adaptation tools.
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Health systems are responding too late or not at all.
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Vulnerable populations are hit hardest, and inequities are widening.
BEACON-EM empowers health systems to detect, adapt, and protect before lives are lost.
How BEACON-EM Works.
1. Sentinel Surveillance
Emergency clinicians and paramedics log real-time health impacts (e.g. heat illness, air pollution exposure, mental health spikes) into a shared platform.
2. Climate Data Integration
Environmental data including; weather, air quality, and extreme event forecasting is layered over clinical signals.
3. Dual Intelligence
We combine institutional data (EDs, hospitals, research bodies) with community knowledge (citizen science, local lived experience).
4. Predictive Insights & Early Warnings
Health + climate models inform local responses, resource planning, and policy with dashboards, alerts, and mapped signals.
5. Resilience Co-Design
Each region builds its own tailored, evidence-informed adaptation strategies in collaboration with stakeholders, patients, and communities.
A Global Collaboration
BEACON-EM brings together a growing network of emergency care providers, researchers, health systems, and climate resilience organisations across:
Australasia
Pacific Island Nations
The UK
The EU
North America
The Global South
We’re proud to partner with over 40 confirmed collaborators, including leaders in health equity, climate science, Indigenous knowledge, public health, and humanitarian response.
Outcomes & Tools
Real time public dashboards.
Clinical reporting protocols for climate-sensitive presentations.
Training modules and data sharing guidance.
Forecast models for use in planning and preparedness.
Evaluation frameworks to measure local and global impact.
Join BEACON-EM
Join the Network.
Sign up to stay informed and contribute to this global sentinel initiative.
Download the Overview
Read the summary of BEACON-EM’s vision, collaborators, and early impact.
Contact the Team
Reach out to explore collaboration, partnerships, or implementation support.