Title: Research to leverage public health interventions to address adaptation to climate change'
1Research to leverage public health interventions
to address adaptation to climate change.
- Dr Saqib Shahab
- Community Medicine Program, University of Alberta
- Bamako, 17 November 2008
2Acknowledgements
- Dr Abdul Ghaffar RA, EMRO, WHO
- Professor Stephen Matlin, and the Global Forum
for Health Research - Strengthening the base preparing health research
for climate change - Strengthening the base innovation and
convergence in climate change and public health
3Aim
- How can research
- inform and assist public health
- at the operational and policy level
- in the face of current and impending significant
climate change
4IPCC 2007
5Objectives
- Identify commonalities in climate change and
public and environmental health research and
intervention. - Discuss how integrating climate change, public
health and environmental sustainability can have
a synergistic impact.
6Finding entry points for action and navigating
dichotomies
NORTH
SOUTH
7The 10/90 gap and need for innovative strategies
- The 10/90 gap in research and intervention in
climate change. - The 10/90 gap in research and intervention in
public health. - Innovative strategies for research in climate
change and public health.
8An un equal burden- mortality from climate change
9Climate change will contribute only a small
portion initially to overall preventable deaths
Stern 2006, WHO
10Shahab Global Forum Health Research 2008
11Application of research and interventions
Shahab Global Forum Health Research 2008
12Is research enough?
Shahab Global Forum Health Research 2008
13Where to begin? Primary vs. secondary vs.
tertiary prevention
Shahab Global Forum Health Research 2008
14Public health approach
- Think global, act local
- Be inter sectoral
- Engage academia, government, civil society and
communities - Minimize contradictory messaging, duplication and
wastage of resources.
15Three key points
- Climate change should be an integral part of
public health planning. - Partnering with a wide variety of stakeholders,
as appropriate, is essential. - Climate change research to minimize public health
impacts needs to be multidisciplinary, applicable
to local contexts, and sustainable.
Shahab Global Forum Update on Research for Health
2008
16Incorporate climate change health impacts into
public health planning
- Estimate current and future impacts of climate
change when planning public health interventions - For each public health intervention- assess if
there will be an impact of climate change- and
adjust for that. - Climate change should be one of the variables
when estimating the impact and outcomes of public
health interventions.
Shahab Global Forum Update on Research for Health
2008
17Partner with stakeholders
- Partner with other stakeholders outside the
health sector. - Continue to advocate for mitigation as the
ultimate goal to address climate change. - Maximize the diffusion of innovations through
civil society and the internet. - Incorporate climate change mitigation and
adaptation in intra- and inter-sectoral planning.
Shahab Global Forum Update on Research for Health
2008
18Support innovation, collaboration and knowledge
translation in research
- Trans-disciplinary research funding.
- Knowledge translation and collaboration
- Surveillance systems that monitor the impact of
climate change as an integral part of health
status and assessment. - Research translated into locally relevant, cost
effective and sustainable interventions.
Shahab Global Forum Update on Research for Health
2008
19Urgent public health steps required NOW
- Protection and assurance of water supplies and
sanitation - Control for vector-borne diseases
- Health education and promotion, especially
related to thermal stress. - Inter sectoral approaches for improving
environment, food security and alleviating poverty
20Additional public health co benefits of
incorporating climate change issues in health,
environment, industry, urban planning
- Public transit systems-Improved air quality
- Healthy local diets and physical activity
- Increased social cohesion in the built
environment - Sustainable and greener manufacturing and reuse /
recycling
21Pragmatic approach
- Invest in public health now AND climate change
adaptation / mitigation for the future - Hope and advocate for the best, plan and prepare
for the worst - Investments in public health are beneficial
irrespective of the climate change trajectory