Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation Planning and Action into Health Systems in Fiji, Ghana, and Benin

This research paper examines how Fiji, Ghana, and Benin are integrating climate change adaptation into their health systems. It identifies key enablers such as political leadership and pilot projects, while noting barriers like limited funding and poor data access. The authors recommend immediate 'no-regrets' actions, including staff training and infrastructure improvements, and advocate for cross-sectoral collaboration between health officials and climate planners to build systemic resilience.

• Fiji, Ghana, and Benin are making progress in mainstreaming climate adaptation into health systems by implementing well-informed policies, strengthening health systems, expanding pilot projects, and utilizing political leadership. In Ghana and Benin specifically, pilot projects served to inform wider implementation and policies.
• Several barriers hinder the integration of climate adaptation into health planning, including limited funding, poor data availability and access, and difficulties in communicating and translating technical climate terminology into health policy.
• The authors recommend immediate 'no-regrets' actions to strengthen health systems, such as improving hospital infrastructure and increasing medical staff training in vector-borne diseases, even while better data is being sought.
• Effective mainstreaming requires a cross-sectoral approach involving interagency climate committees, collaboration between adaptation planners and health officials, and the engagement of political champions to bridge the gap between planning and implementation.
• Climate change impacts on health include increased food insecurity, malnutrition, mental stress, physical injuries, and shifts in the incidence and geographical range of foodborne and vector-borne diseases. These impacts disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, including children, women, the elderly, people living in poverty, and those with disabilities.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation Planning and Action into Health Systems in Fiji, Ghana, and Benin. https://www.wri.org/research/mainstreaming-climate-adaptation-planning-and-action-health-systems-fiji-ghana-and-benin

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation Planning and Action into Health Systems in Fiji, Ghana, and Benin. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/mainstreaming-climate-adaptation-planning-and-action-health-systems-fiji-ghana-and-benin.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation Planning and Action into Health Systems in Fiji, Ghana, and Benin |url=https://www.wri.org/research/mainstreaming-climate-adaptation-planning-and-action-health-systems-fiji-ghana-and-benin |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendmainstreaming, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation Planning and Action into Health Systems in Fiji, Ghana, and Benin}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/mainstreaming-climate-adaptation-planning-and-action-health-systems-fiji-ghana-and-benin}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }