Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies in the United Kingdom

The report finds that while the UK acknowledges the link between climate change and health, practical policy integration is limited by siloed government departments, chronic underfunding, and short-term thinking. It highlights the 'Greener NHS' initiative as a relative success and suggests leveraging the NHS's scale and learning from devolved governments in Wales and Scotland to advance a holistic, systems-thinking approach that prioritises vulnerable populations and emphasises health co-benefits.

• Practical integration of climate and health policies in the UK is limited despite theoretical acknowledgment, with participants noting that links are often "superficial" and lack meaningful budget allocations or concrete programme delivery.
• The 'Greener NHS' programme is identified as a relative success in integrating climate considerations into the healthcare system, specifically through the reduction of potent greenhouse gases in anaesthetics.
• Resource constraints, including chronic underfunding and a lack of dedicated roles, are the most frequently cited barriers, often resulting in climate and health work being performed informally and unpaid.
• Siloed decision-making across government departments and between national and local levels hinders the development of cohesive policies, with the Department of Health and Social Care often focused on acute healthcare rather than wider public health.
• There is a significant gap in national policy regarding the mental health impacts of climate change, such as the long-term effects of flooding, despite emerging scientific evidence.
• The UK has played a leading role in international climate negotiations, such as COP26, by promoting sustainable and climate-resilient health systems, though a disconnect remains between these international efforts and domestic action.
• Promoting co-benefits—such as improved air quality and warmer homes through retrofitting—is seen as a key opportunity to justify integrated policies by demonstrating simultaneous improvements in public health and carbon reduction.
• The scale of the NHS provides a unique opportunity for large-scale impact, such as using its procurement power to shift hospital menus toward plant-based foods to reduce emissions.
• The devolved governments of Wales and Scotland provide models for integration; specifically, the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and NHS Scotland's climate emergency strategy.
• Proposed strategies for improvement include establishing a 'Minister for Resilience and Adaptation', a 'Healthier Nation Commission' modelled on the Climate Change Committee, and a new Public Health Act requiring all departments to consider health outcomes.

APA

Rayner, T., Smith, E., Howarth, C., & Graham, J. (2025). Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies in the United Kingdom. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Advancing-Climate-Change-and-Health-Policies-in-the-UK-final.pdf

Chicago

Rayner, Tim, Elta Smith, Candice Howarth, and James Graham. Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies in the United Kingdom. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2025. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Advancing-Climate-Change-and-Health-Policies-in-the-UK-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rayner |first1=Tim |last2=Smith |first2=Elta |last3=Howarth |first3=Candice |last4=Graham |first4=James |title=Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies in the United Kingdom |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=2025 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Advancing-Climate-Change-and-Health-Policies-in-the-UK-final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rayner2025advancing, author = {Rayner, Tim and Smith, Elta and Howarth, Candice and Graham, James}, title = {{Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies in the United Kingdom}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2025}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Advancing-Climate-Change-and-Health-Policies-in-the-UK-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }