A new study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe calls for urgent, proactive action to address Europe’s growing threat of vector-borne diseases (VBDs)—highlighting lessons learned from endemic regions worldwide. The research, led by the Global Health Resilience group at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), brings together experts from 13 countries across four continents. Several E4Warning partners contributed to the study, reinforcing the project’s commitment to cross-sectoral and international collaboration.

The paper addresses the growing risks posed by climate change, urbanisation, and invasive species such as Aedes albopictus, which are extending transmission seasons and raising the likelihood of disease outbreaks including West Nile virus, dengue, leishmaniasis, and tick-borne encephalitis. In response to these escalating threats, the study emphasizes that Europe must move from reactive responses to proactive, forward-looking strategies. This shift must be grounded in cross-border collaboration, long-term planning, and the integration of local knowledge into health policies. Community-level awareness and engagement are key to ensuring that control measures are both effective and socially accepted.

Citizen science, especially in digitally connected regions, can enhance surveillance and public participation, though it requires overcoming barriers to innovation and data sharing. The study also promotes community-based interventions (CBIs), drawing on successful examples like Brazil’s “Boot Out” campaign, which combined public awareness with practical waste removal efforts. Adapting interventions across Europe requires attention to cultural, legal, and ecological differences, and the authors stress the need to expand asymptomatic and serological surveillance to improve preparedness and early response capacity.

To meet these goals, the authors propose a multi-sectoral “Intervention Toolkit” tailored to European realities, drawing on experiences from countries with long-standing expertise in managing VBDs.

The toolkit includes five key pillars:

1. Clinical case and risk management

2. Integrated vector surveillance and control

3. Adapting the built and natural environment to reduce vector habitats

4. Data harmonisation and development of decision support tools

5. Community engagement, including citizen science platforms

“We propose here five key areas where Europe could and is integrating knowledge from endemic settings on vector and disease control, and advocate for the importance of cross-country knowledge sharing partnerships and integration at the public and policy level,” said Gina Charnley, BSC researcher and first author of the study.

By combining inclusive governance and transdisciplinary knowledge-sharing, the study outlines a clear pathway toward more resilient and equitable public health systems in Europe and beyond. Yet, limited resources and shifting priorities across sectors often hinder implementation, however, moving forward, long-term cross-border collaboration, data harmonisation, and meaningful integration of local and indigenous knowledge will be critical to turning these strategies into lasting, impactful solutions.

Read the full-open access here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101271.

Charnley, G. E. C., Alcayna, T., Almuedo-Riera, A., Antoniou, C., Badolo, A., Bartumeus, F., Boodram, L.-L., Bueno-Marí, R., Codeço, C., Coelho, F. C., Costa, F., Cox, H., Haddad, N., Ab Hamid, N., Kittayapong, P., Korukluoğlu, G., Michaelakis, A., Maciel-de-Freitas, R., Montalvo, T., Muñoz, J., Sauleda Oliveras, S., Palmer, J. R. B., Barboza Pizard, C. J., Ribeiro, G. S., & Lowe, R. (2025). Strengthening resilience to emerging vector-borne diseases in Europe: Lessons learnt from countries facing endemic transmission. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, 53, 101271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101271.

In November, Kamran Safi from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior visited the CEAB-CSIC team leaded by Frederic Bartumeus and the Girona study area: the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park. This visit was instrumental in familiarizing with the study area and engaging with local stakeholders: the park staff, regional mosquito control officials, and local ornithologists.

The meeting facilitated the selection of five common and abundant bird species present across various study zones for tracking their mobility patterns using GPS or Sigfox biologging. While bird migration and mobility have been studied on large scales, there’s limited data on the daily mobility of resident species and the impact of the landscape on their movements. Understanding these aspects is vital to determine the role different species play in transmitting pathogens like the West Nile virus across areas, such as from marshes or rice fields to peri-urban or urban zones.

Wild birds, being primary hosts of the virus, play a crucial role in its spread, thereby shaping the epidemiology of the disease. Assessing how they connect habitats and transfer pathogens is particularly crucial in human-altered landscapes where pathogen spillover between birds and humans can be facilitated. The lack of detailed information in the dissemination process of zoonotic pathogens undermines risk assessments and management plans. A key goal of WP5 is to quantify the mobility of various host species to develop a spatially-explicit approach to wildlife epidemiology.

The 2nd International One-Health Conference, held in Barcelona on October 19-20, 2023, saw a distinguished assembly of professionals from diverse fields come together to advance the multidisciplinary conversation on public health. Among the attendees was Frederic Bartumeus from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), who presented the groundbreaking work of E4Warning.

With health being an essential aspect of modern society, the conference set forth the goal of bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and policy-making through a One Health approach—a holistic and integrated perspective on health that considers human, animal, and environmental well-being. The event aimed to foster synergistic dialogues among research fields and action domains, engaging researchers, experts, students, and decision-makers.

Central to the congress were the framing questions that challenge current paradigms and seek to integrate the One-Health framework into the health sector comprehensively. Discussions revolved around the inclusion of the One-Health framework in legislation under the EU, understanding the interlinkages between health, climate change, and decision-making, and identifying the concerns health professionals have regarding the One Health concept. The conference sought not only to outline the open questions but also to explore opportunities and solutions to overcome barriers to implementing the One-Health approach.

In this context, Frederic Bartumeus presented E4Warning’s contribution to enhancing urban resilience capacities through the One Health approach. He outlined the innovative tools developed as part of E4Warning and the various methodologies employed to address the risks of mosquito-borne diseases within the framework of eco-epidemiological intelligence. His presentation shed light on the project’s interdisciplinary strategies for early warning and response, which are crucial in the context of a changing climate and emerging health threats.

Bartumeus’s participation underscored the pivotal role of E4Warning in providing actionable solutions and insights, reinforcing the importance of integrating scientific research with policy and decision-making. The conference also had the participation of Maria Feio from the University of Coimbra, who’s  contribution to the conference centered around the innovative OneAquaHealth project, which underscores the potential of earth observations to monitor changes in urban aquatic ecosystems that are pertinent to human health.

The 2nd International One-Health Conference was more than a meeting of minds; it was a step forward in operationalizing the One Health concept in a way that meets the pressing health challenges of our times.