WHO launches new toolkit empowering health professionals to tackle climate change
WHO launches new toolkit empowering health professionals to tackle climate change World Health Organization (WHO)
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Communicating Climate Change and Health: A Toolkit for Health and Care Workers
Climate change presents one of the most significant global health challenges and is already negatively affecting communities worldwide. Communicating the health risks of climate change and the health benefits of climate solutions is both necessary and helpful. To support this, the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with partners has developed a new toolkit designed to equip health and care workers with the knowledge and confidence to effectively communicate about climate change and health.
The Importance of Health and Care Workers in Addressing Climate Change
The toolkit aims to fill the gaps in knowledge and action among health and care workers – all those who are engaged in actions with the primary intent of enhancing health, as well as those occupations in academic, management, and scientific roles. Despite their recognized trustworthiness and efficacy as health communicators, many health and care workers might not be fully equipped to discuss climate change and its health implications. This toolkit seeks to change that narrative.
“Health and care workers play a key role in addressing climate change as a health crisis. Their unique position enables them to raise awareness, advocate for policy changes, and empower communities to mitigate and adapt to climate change,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health. “By engaging in dialogue and action, health and care workers can catalyze efforts to safeguard human health as well as ensuring a resilient and sustainable future for all.”
The Impact of Climate Change on Health
Climate change affects health through various pathways, including extreme weather events, air pollution, food insecurity, water scarcity, and the spread of infectious diseases. Heatwaves, changing weather patterns, and air pollution contribute to a range of adverse health effects, including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, mental health issues, and malnutrition. Moreover, health systems face increasing strain from climate-related challenges, amplifying the urgency for action.
The Toolkit: Empowering Health and Care Workers
The toolkit provides comprehensive resources to help health and care workers understand the health impacts of climate change and the co-benefits of climate action, build confidence in communication, and engage with various stakeholders effectively. By empowering health and care workers to communicate about climate change and health, it aims to drive collective action towards mitigating climate change, building resilience, and safeguarding public health.
The communications toolkit was developed by WHO in collaboration with the Global Climate and Health Alliance, George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, Climate and Health Alliance Australia, and the Canadian Medical Association. Health Canada’s funding has been instrumental in developing this toolkit.
Why Health Professionals Should Address Climate Change
Our world is witnessing a concerning trend of warming temperatures, extreme weather events, water and food security challenges, and deteriorating air quality. The frequency and intensity of these events are surpassing the capacity of both natural and human systems to respond effectively, resulting in far-reaching consequences for health.
Heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, have been linked to adverse health effects, including heart attacks, kidney disease, and mental health disorders. Changing weather patterns threaten food security by reducing crop yields, while air pollution alone leads to over 7 million premature deaths annually, mainly through cardio-respiratory illnesses. Furthermore, climate-induced water scarcity and contamination fuel competition for resources, forced migration, and conflict.
The repercussions of climate change extend beyond physical health, impacting mental well-being through trauma, loss of livelihoods, and anxiety about the future. Furthermore, health systems, already strained after a pandemic, an energy crisis, and a cost-of-living crisis, face additional burdens from extreme weather events and supply chain disruptions.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination | Not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries | Not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | The toolkit aims to equip health and care workers with the knowledge and confidence to effectively communicate about climate change and health, thereby improving awareness and education on climate change mitigation and adaptation. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities | The toolkit aims to empower health and care workers to engage with various stakeholders effectively, including marginalized communities, in order to drive collective action towards mitigating climate change. |
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Source: who.int
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