The document presents a climate change and health framework for action from 2017-2021. It acknowledges that environmental factors like climate change impact human health. The framework's objectives are to prepare health sectors and systems to cope with climate change risks. It outlines health impacts of climate change like increased diseases, food insecurity and deaths from extreme weather. The framework promotes building climate-resilient health systems through governance, monitoring, engaging sectors, adaptation and mitigation. It was presented to the Regional Committee for endorsement to strengthen health system resilience to climate change in member states.

1. 64th
Session 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

2. 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.
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

3. 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
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

4. 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.
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

5. Health impacts of climate change
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

6. 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
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

7. 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.
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

8. 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 and health: framework for action 2017–2021

9. Climate change health impact – vulnerability
assessment
Response
(policies and actions) State
Environmental health
conditions
(climate change
impacts)
Pressure
(human activities)
Mitigation
Other
(advocacy)
Health
(custodianship)
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

10. 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.
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

11. 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

12. Leadership
and
governance
Financing
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
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

13. 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.
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

14. 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
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

15. 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.
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021

16. Governance,policy
andleadership
Monitoring,early
warningand
management
Engagementofother
sectors
The climate change and health
framework (2017–2021)
Adaptation and mitigation
Climate-resilient health systems
Climate change and health: framework for action 2017–2021