Abstract
Most scientific communities and governments accept that a global warming process is occurring, and are concerned about its alarming potential environmental and health consequences. The extreme conditions associated to climate change such as severe storms, floods and prolonged heatwaves and droughts, are expected to increase considerably the burden of climate-sensitive diseases (e.g. heat-related illness, new and emerging infectious diseases, respiratory diseases or threats to food security). Poor countries are most at risk, but developed economies can also be strongly affected as illustrated by the large number of deaths associated to the European heat wave of 2003.
Conducting health impact assessment of climate change (HIA-CCh) requires the analyses of complex interactions between humans and natural ecosystems, demanding an interdisciplinary approach and a wide range of tools and techniques. Those analyses should be simultaneously context specific and extend over time to track not only the full dimension of health impacts but also the efforts needed to adapt and build resilience. Standard indicators for climate-sensitive health outcomes alone will not adequately capture the changing risks typically related to climate change. In addition to them, indicators of vulnerability and exposure, adaptation planning and resilience for health, and learning and knowledge management are required.
The present workshop aims at analysing and sharing expertise on how to conduct an HIA-CCh, with the following elements for discussion: Definition of the scope (both temporal and spatial) and the interdisciplinary team to be involved in the processSelection of indicators that will allow not only characterization of health impacts but also promoting and tracking adaptation activities at national and local health departmentsForesight climate change scenarios and how this can be incorporated into the decision-making processVulnerability risk in relation to impact assessment and health / health equity in the context of climate changeHow the proper HIA-CCh can have an impact on learning and changes in management frameworks
Key messages
Increasing public health’s adaptive capacity to face climate-sensitive threats is needed. Conducting HIA-CCh requires innovative management strategies and proper selection of indicators.
10.D. Workshop: Health Impact assessment of climate change: monitoring and experiences
