climate change and health: a framework for action

64thSession of

the Regional Committee

for the Eastern Mediterranean

Islamabad, Pakistan

9–12 October 2017

Agenda item 3(b)

64th Session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean

9–12 October 2017, Islamabad

Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

Ministerial Declaration on Health, Environment and Climate Change

“ … we the Ministers and high-level representatives, acknowledge that almost one quarter of the global burden

of disease, and approximately 12.6 million deaths each year, are attributable to modifiable environmental factors.

… global, environmental and social changes, including climate change, are driving many of these risks, and impacting directly on human health.


What is good for the planet is good for health

WHO priorities: “Developing and nurturing resilient and effective community-based structures and multisectoral approaches is critical to prevent, mitigate and respond to the health impacts of environmental risk factors and climate change.” WHO Director-General 2017

Roadmap of WHO’s work for the Region 2017–2021: WHO will support Member States in strengthening the resilience of the health sector to respond to climate change. WHO Regional Director 2017

SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (2015)

In the regional strategy on health and the environment 2013–2019 climate change and health is listed among the seven environmental health priorities. Sixtieth Regional Committee, 2013


Objectives

• This framework is not meant to solve the climate change dilemma but is proposed to prepare our health sector and health systems to cope with, and respond to, the health risks resulting from climate change.

• Eight climate and health country profiles have been developed. The vast majority of our national health systems are not climate-sensitive or climate-resilient.


Health impacts of climate change


Climate-sensitive diseases

• Water and foodborne disease from water scarcity and

pollution

• Respiratory and allergic diseases from air pollution

(dust storms)

• Vector diseases re-emergence and re-distribution from

temperature rise and humidity

• Under-nutrition from food insecurity

• Death and illnesses from heat waves and dust storms

• Death and injuries from extreme weather events

(flooding and droughts)

• Mental health illness

• Occupational health injuries


Health impacts in the Region

• Temperature rise and extreme weather cause hot and cold waves, droughts and floods, intensifying water scarcity due to reduced precipitation: an additional 80–100 million people will be affected.

• Increased food insecurity and malnutrition due to reduced crop yields by 15–35%.

• Degradation of air quality due to Increased magnitude, duration and frequency of dust storms. Short-lived climate pollutants are responsible for 150 000 annual deaths.

• Climate pattern variability causes re-emergence and redistribution of climate-sensitive diseases, e.g. malaria, dengue fever, schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis, etc.


DALYs attributable to climate change by WHO region

Source: WHO Global Health Observatory

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Africa

Americas

Eastern Mediterranean

Europe

South East Asia

Western Pacific


Climate change health impact – vulnerability assessment

Response(policies and actions) State

Environmental health conditions

(climate change impacts)

Pressure(human activities)

Mit

igat

ion Other

(advocacy)

Health (custodianship)


Intervention measures

• Adaptation – to take proactive measures to prepare for the health risks of climate change; by increasing resilience of a system to anticipate, absorb, accommodate and recover from the health effects of climate change in a timely and efficient manner.

• Mitigation – to reduce climate change inputs in health and economic sectors, and utilizing the resultant health co-benefits.


Management of

environmental

health

Climate-

resilient health

system

Governance, policy

and engagement

Health Leadership Framework on climate

change

Adaptation to interrupt the exposure and reduce vulnerability of health Mitigation to curb climate change emissions

Environmental changes

Direct

exposures

Indirect

exposures

Socioeconomic

disruption

Climate

change

Health impacts

Leadership and

governanceFinancing

Health system

Health information

system

Essential medical products

and technology

Health workforce

Service delivery

Early warning system and

information on climate-sensitive health outcomes

New medicines and technology to manage

emerging health outcomes

Trained workforce on predicting and managing climate-sensitive health

outcomes

Climate-informed health programmes

Utilizing green funds

Advocacy for action by other

sectors

Grounded within health systems


Engagement with other sectors

• Integrate health and climate change policy and action plan into the national climate change policy plans of action (Health-in-all-Policies).

• Represent the ministry of health within the main climate change processes at all levels (e.g. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings, Conference of Parties’ negotiations and national communications).

• Conclude agreements between the ministry of health and other health-determining sectors in assessing the health impacts and benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation policies.

• Advocate climate interventions highlighting health impacts and benefits.


We need our health systems to be climate-resilient by:

• raising awareness-raising on the health impacts of climate change

• strengthening the health sector capacity to respond to climate-related hazards

• integrating public health measures into climate change national policies

• engaging relevant sectors


Way forward

The proposed framework builds upon and updates the action endorsed by the Regional Committee in its 55th session. The actions proposed to strengthen our health systems resilience will be tailored in each Member State to respond to country-specific climate vulnerability mapping.

The Regional Committee is invited to endorse the framework for action on climate change and health, 2017–2021.


Govern

ance

, polic

y

and leaders

hip

Monitori

ng,

early

warn

ing a

nd

ma

nag

em

en

t

Engagem

ent

of oth

er

secto

rs

The climate change and health framework (2017–2021)

Adaptation and mitigation

Climate-resilient health systems


climate change and health: a framework for action

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