Search Climate Insights Directory

The Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) and Health and Climate Network (HCN) submit that health is a prerequisite and critical indicator for the Paris Agreement's success. They highlight that mitigation in energy, food, and transport can prevent millions of deaths annually by 2040, yet only 28% of updated NDCs recognize these health co-benefits. While 94% of surveyed countries include health in National Adaptation Plans, funding remains a critical barrier, with only 0.5% of certain multilateral adaptation funds allocated to health-specific projects. The document urges the GST to quantify health impacts as non-economic losses and damages and to monitor the realization of the human right to a healthy environment.

The document details how East Africa has experienced warming exceeding the global average, leading to increased drought frequency, glacier loss, and significant economic losses. Future projections indicate severe risks to human health, food security, and biodiversity, particularly if warming exceeds 1.5°C. It emphasizes the need for transformative adaptation, increased climate finance, and improved climate services to build regional resilience.

North Africa is experiencing warming at twice the global rate, leading to increased heat waves, marine heat waves, and widespread losses in agriculture and health. Future projections indicate severe risks to food security, biodiversity, and coastal infrastructure, particularly in Egypt. Adaptation requires transformative, ecosystem-based approaches and a significant increase in disbursed climate finance.

Southern Africa has experienced warming exceeding the global average, leading to increased heatwaves, droughts, and economic losses. Future projections indicate severe risks to food systems, human health, and biodiversity, with significant GDP losses if warming reaches 2°C. Adaptation requires transformative, equity-based approaches and a substantial increase in climate finance and research funding for African institutions.

Analysis of 246 U.S. locations from 1970 to 2021 shows that 98% experienced an increase in average winter temperatures, with the Great Lakes and Northeast regions seeing the most significant warming. Winter is the fastest-warming season for 38 out of 49 states. While extreme cold events still occur, warming winters threaten regional economies through reduced snowpacks in the West, lower fruit yields, and the migration of disease-carrying pests.

The project aims to protect the health of the Lao population from climate-related risks through a USD 41.92 million investment. It focuses on upgrading 180 health facilities in 60 vulnerable districts, integrating climate data into health information systems, and enhancing the capacity of health workers and communities to manage climate-driven disease burdens.

The document outlines a project preparation phase to transition the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) toward a climate-resilient health system. It focuses on mitigating the risks of vector-borne, water-borne, and food-borne diseases exacerbated by climate change. The proposed project consists of three components: creating an enabling policy environment, harmonizing climate and health information systems (including an early warning system), and implementing community-level adaptation interventions such as rainwater tanks and vector control. The PPF request seeks to fund the necessary pre-feasibility studies, risk assessments, and budget planning required to move from a concept note to a full GCF funding proposal.

The IAI Directorate reported progress in aligning its Scientific Agenda with its Strategic Plan, incorporating revisions from Canada, Argentina, and Colombia. Key scientific initiatives included transdisciplinary projects on vector-borne diseases in Jamaica and St. Lucia, and the development of a COVID-19 working group. The Directorate launched the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, implemented in two countries, and established partnerships with Mitacs in Canada and the PAGES program. Efforts to bridge science and policy included a virtual workshop on drought policies for Southern South America and the creation of a fire monitoring platform for the triborder Amazon region (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru). The IAI also collaborated with the Belmont Forum on several Collaborative Research Actions (CRA) and published a special issue in the Journal Environmental Development on CRN3 results.

The IAI Executive Directorate reported progress in its strategic plan during 2020-2021 despite COVID-19 challenges. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, the development of a revised scientific agenda incorporating feedback from Canada, Argentina, and Colombia, and the execution of transdisciplinary projects on climate-driven vector-borne diseases in Jamaica and Saint Lucia. The IAI also expanded its partnerships with the Belmont Forum, Wellcome Trust, and Mitacs Canada, while contributing to the IPCC's chapter on Central and South America.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) GCF Programme establishes a strategic framework for climate mitigation and adaptation, focusing on decarbonizing energy, waste management, resilient infrastructure, food security, and water security. RMI aims for net-zero emissions by 2050 and has set ambitious NDC targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32% below 2010 levels by 2025 and 45% by 2030. The programme identifies specific pipeline projects, such as solar generation on Wotje and Jaluit Atolls and coastal adaptation works, while addressing existential threats like sea-level rise and extreme droughts. It emphasizes the need for international funding to implement science-informed policies and protect vulnerable coastal communities.

Between 2014 and 2020, there was a significant increase in the proportion of U.S. adults who recognize the health harms caused by climate change. This trend was observed across most of the 'Six Americas' audience segments, including those with low engagement like the Cautious and Disengaged, while the Doubtful and Dismissive segments showed little to no change in risk perception.

The analysis finds a significant increase in the proportion of Americans who recognize the health risks of climate change between 2014 and 2020. This growth in awareness occurred across most audience segments, including those with low engagement, while those skeptical of climate change showed little to no change in perception.

A warming climate is extending the seasons for pests like mosquitoes and ticks and increasing the efficiency of microorganism growth, leading to higher risks of infections and contamination of food and water.

The Pacific Islands Climate Storybook 2021 outlines a methodology for 'Climate Services Dialogs'—three-day workshops designed to bridge the gap between scientific climate data and local experiential knowledge. The process involves sharing climate knowledge, diagnosing existing services using the 'READY-SET-GO' framework, and developing 'Climate Stories' to communicate best practices. The report includes several case studies from the region, such as the impact of the 1997–98 El Niño on water resources in American Sāmoa, coastal flooding in Papua New Guinea and the Marshall Islands, and the link between drought and disease outbreaks in the Marshall Islands. It emphasizes the need for co-production of knowledge, community engagement, and the integration of traditional knowledge with scientific forecasts to enhance regional resilience.

The document outlines a 24-month readiness project to enhance the resilience of Trinidad and Tobago's health sector against climate-induced disasters. Key objectives include establishing an Incident Command System (ICS), developing an Event-Based Surveillance App for real-time disaster response, and conducting vulnerability assessments to design 'Climate SMART' healthcare facilities. The project also aims to train the healthcare workforce in disaster risk reduction and develop two high-quality project concept notes for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The IAI Executive Directorate's 2019-2020 report details progress in transdisciplinary research, capacity building, and open science, while noting significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship program in Argentina and the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Organization of American States (OAS). The report also highlights efforts to align scientific agendas with human systems and the development of a flexible funding mechanism for the Americas in collaboration with the Belmont Forum.

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.

The document is a formal petition by sixteen children from various countries against five states, alleging that their failure to mitigate climate change violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It details specific harms faced by the petitioners—including extreme heat, wildfires, and sea-level rise—and argues that the respondents' current emission pathways are inconsistent with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. The petitioners request that the Committee recognize climate change as a children's rights crisis and recommend that the respondent states accelerate mitigation efforts and prioritize the best interests of children.

The paper argues that government-led adaptation is insufficient and that individuals and households must be actively involved to reduce climate risks. It identifies six categories of adaptive behavior—information seeking, preparative measures, protective measures, evacuation/migration, insurance, and political action—and analyzes the psychological drivers of these actions. Key motivators include risk perception, negative emotions, self-efficacy, outcome efficacy, social norms, and perceived responsibility. The authors conclude that while communication campaigns are common, they are often ineffective if they only provide information; instead, they should target psychological antecedents. Furthermore, the paper advocates for genuine public participation in decision-making to empower citizens and improve policy effectiveness, while noting that individual action must be supported by systemic, large-scale governmental infrastructure.

The document details how climate change exacerbates health risks in Canada, including heat-related illnesses, air pollution, mental health issues, and the spread of vector-borne diseases. It highlights that extreme weather events threaten critical infrastructure and food and water security, while citing the World Health Organization's view of climate change as the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century.