Climate and Health
What is Climate Change?
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
Why is it important for Public Health?
The potential impacts of climate change on health in the UK will be significant and wide-ranging. The evidence is strongest for:
Adverse impacts on health due to heat and cold- More frequent and intense heatwaves due to rising temperatures could lead to a dramatic increase in hospitalizations and heat-related deaths. Despite the warming climate, deaths from cold are also expected to rise, mainly due to an aging population.
Flooding –Increased risk of flooding will mean that people, properties, and infrastructure that were not previously at risk will become at risk of flooding. Flooding endangers lives and can have long-lasting negative impacts on mental health, risk of infectious diseases, and access to healthcare services.
Vector borne disease risks – The UK will become more suitable for the survival of vectors of public health importance, notably Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Transmission of dengue and chikungunya, and West Nile virus may be possible in the latter half of the century or sooner.
Although everyone is at risk, the more vulnerable and disadvantaged will be worst effected both in the UK and globally.
However, many of the anticipated adverse health effects are avoidable with mitigation and preventable through adaptation.
What are we doing?
The Public Health Collaborative and the ICB Population Health Team hosted a joint ‘Climate Change and our Population’s Health’ workshop on the 9th of May 2024 to share good practice and identify what we would like to work together on at system level. Key topics included the health effects of climate change and work underway in the NHS (ICB & Trusts) and in LAs.
We identified some next steps, including:
- Building community power and participation
- Map what is already happening and look for gaps and opportunities
- Joint approach to action and avoid duplication
The Collaborative are establishing an informal community of practice to take forward the conversation, watch this space!
Leadership
The Cumbria and Lancashire Public Health Collaborative are in the process of establishing a Climate Change Forum.
More Information
You can contact the Collaborative Support Team by emailing: ellie.shackleton@blackburn.gov.uk or rebecca.ramsay@blackburn.gov.uk.
Useful Resources
What is climate change? A really simple guide – BBC News
Climate change: health effects in the UK – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
What Is Climate Change? | United Nations