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Climate and Health indicators in European Policy Frameworks and role of Public Health professionals

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The climate crisis is recognised as the greatest public health threat of the 21st century. Robust climate and health indicators are essential for informing effective policies, guiding public health responses, and holding decision-makers accountable. However, climate and health indicators must be better integrated into European health policy and planning, with a central role of Public Health professionals in knowledge translation. The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change in Europe monitors the current climate and health risks and impacts, the progress the region has attained (e.g. reduction in air pollution), and highlights areas that need immediate action (e.g. adaptation). Together with the European Climate and Health Observatory we have made the Lancet Countdown indicators openly available through interactive visualisation of the indicators, to facilitate smoother knowledge transfer to policy making. The session highlights the importance of specific indicators and how these can be used to inform policy making. The identification of pathways between tracking an indicator and policy opportunity and action is paramount to strengthen the use of climate-health metrics across sectors and governance levels, especially in the context of European policymaking. Public health professionals are important agents in the transition towards climate-resilient health systems. The Lancet Countdown Europe works with national medical associations (e.g. Spain, the United Kingdom) to disseminate the annual report findings among the health care professionals. However, more targeted guidelines might be beneficial to support meaningful action. One example is the adaptation of clinical practice, with the development of climate-sensitive guidelines and recommendations for sustainable clinical practices. This session further serves as a platform to foster cross-section collaboration to support more integrated and evidence-informed approaches to climate and health.

Source: European Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaf161.631

Authors: J Chen-Xu, H Kriit, J Rocklöv, C Tonne