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The Health Impacts of Climate Change: Getting Started on a New Theme

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Kristie L. Ebi ,
Madeleen Helmer  and
Jari Vainio
Kristie L. Ebi
Affiliation:
President, ESS, LLC, Independent Consultant on Climate Change Issues
Madeleen Helmer*
Affiliation:
Head, Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, The Hague, the Netherlands
Jari Vainio
Affiliation:
Senior Health officer, Public Health in Emergencies Unit in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland
*
Head Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, PO Box 28120, 2502 KC, The Hague, the Netherlands, E-mail: climatecentre@redcross.nl
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Abstract

Climate change is widely acknowledged as a key global challenge for the 21st century, and is projected to significantly affect population health and human well-being. All of the climate change-related changes in weather patterns will affect human health, from boosting mental well-being to mortality from largescale disasters. Human health can be affected both directly and indirectly.

For various reasons, the health sector has been slow in responding to the projected health impacts of climate change. To effectively prepare for and cope with climate change impacts, public health must move from a focus on surveillance and response to a greater emphasis on prediction and prevention.

The targeted agenda program dialogue identified three priorities for climate change related health actions: heat waves, vector-borne diseases; and malnutrition.

Keywords

climate changeextreme weather eventshealth impacts
Type
Tap Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 23 , Issue S2: Reports from the 15th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 13–16 May 2007 , August 2008 , pp. s60 - s64
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2008

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