Health System Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change

The document argues that climate change is already causing avoidable injuries, illnesses, and deaths while damaging healthcare infrastructure. It highlights a significant global adaptation gap, noting that funding for health adaptation is less than 1% of international climate adaptation finance. The authors propose a framework for building climate-resilient health systems focusing on workforce knowledge, information systems, service delivery, and adequate financing. Key recommendations include increasing research investments, developing scenario-based integrated adaptation plans, and promoting zero-emission technologies to reduce the overall adaptation burden.

• Climate change impacts health through direct extreme weather events, natural system mediators like infectious disease range shifts, and human system mediators such as conflict, migration, and undernutrition.
• There is a severe lack of financial investment in health adaptation, with funding representing less than 1% of international climate adaptation finance, despite health being a priority in 54% of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Vulnerable populations, including older adults, people with chronic illnesses, Indigenous populations, women, and children, suffer disproportionately due to physiological sensitivities and limited capacity for protective action.
• Climate change threatens the physical and operational integrity of health facilities, with 51% of 478 surveyed cities expecting it to 'seriously compromise' public health infrastructure.
• Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are projected to reduce the nutritional quality of key cereal crops, specifically decreasing protein (about 10%), micronutrients like iron and zinc (5-10%), and B-vitamins (average 30% for folate in rice).
• The authors recommend increasing national research investments in climate and health to over 1% of health and social research budgets in high-income countries and 5% in middle-income countries.
• Effective health system resilience requires four key components: a knowledgeable workforce, robust health information systems (including early warning systems), effective service delivery, and adequate financing.
• Limits to adaptation exist, including human physiological tolerance to extreme heat and the potential for rapid, unexpected increases in the range of vectorborne diseases as ecological thresholds are crossed.

APA

Ebi, K. L., Berry, P., Campbell-Lendrum, D., Cissé, G., Hess, J., Ogden, N., & Schnitter, R. (2019). Health System Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change. World Resources Institute. https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/HealthSystemAdaptationToClimateVariabilityandChange_-_Global_Commission_on_Adaptation.pdf

Chicago

Ebi, Kristie L., Peter Berry, Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, Guéladio Cissé, Jeremy Hess, Nicholas Ogden, and Rebekka Schnitter. Health System Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change. World Resources Institute, 2019. https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/HealthSystemAdaptationToClimateVariabilityandChange_-_Global_Commission_on_Adaptation.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ebi |first1=Kristie L. |last2=Berry |first2=Peter |last3=Campbell-Lendrum |first3=Diarmid |last4=Cissé |first4=Guéladio |last5=Hess |first5=Jeremy |last6=Ogden |first6=Nicholas |last7=Schnitter |first7=Rebekka |title=Health System Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=2 December 2019 |url=https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/HealthSystemAdaptationToClimateVariabilityandChange_-_Global_Commission_on_Adaptation.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ebi2019health, author = {Ebi, Kristie L. and Berry, Peter and Campbell-Lendrum, Diarmid and Cissé, Guéladio and Hess, Jeremy and Ogden, Nicholas and Schnitter, Rebekka}, title = {{Health System Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2019}, month = dec, url = {https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/HealthSystemAdaptationToClimateVariabilityandChange_-_Global_Commission_on_Adaptation.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }