AUW’s Role in the CATA-EARTH Project

AUW’s engagement in the CATA-Earth Project is led by the Center for Climate Change and Environmental Health (3CEH) of AUW, a flagship research and outreach center dedicated to advancing planetary health, environmental sustainability, and community well-being.  3CEH at AUW was established in April 2021 as a center for research, policy engagement, and community-driven solutions focusing on the intersection of climate change and public health. Its mission is to combat environmental degradation and advance climate mitigation in Asia, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, while its vision is to create a climate-resilient society and empower female researchers. The Center employs a transdisciplinary approach, integrating global knowledge with local action, and its work, highlighted in newsletters like “Voices of Resilience”, “Sustainable Futures”, and “Community-Based Research”, includes initiatives such as K4DM-IDRC and CATA-EARTH aimed at university-community partnerships and capacity building for marginalized groups. 3CEH of AUW bridges academia and community through research, education, and policy advocacy, empowering young women scholars to translate knowledge into transformative local and global action.

Through CATA-Earth, the 3CEH at the Asian University for Women (AUW) is redefining planetary health education in the Global South by co-developing context-sensitive curricula that integrate climate, health, and gender perspectives. This initiative builds the capacity of educators and students through transdisciplinary, challenge-based, and community-engaged learning while fostering university–community partnerships that allow local wisdom and inclusive approaches to shape sustainable solutions. By cultivating women’s leadership and positioning AUW graduates as changemakers, the program ensures that planetary health is embedded within education to drive equitable, evidence-based, and community-led change for both the planet and its people.