Summary:

This report gives an overview of climate change and health and provides information on relevant, documents, publications and websites.

1. WHO overview
2. Research documents on Eldis
3. Relevant publications
4. Relevant websites

Key facts

• Climate change affects the fundamental requirements for health – clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter.
• The global warming that has occurred since the 1970s was causing over 140 000 excess deaths annually by the year 2004.
• Many of the major killers such as diarrhoeal diseases, malnutrition, malaria and dengue are highly climate-sensitive and are expected to worsen as the climate changes.
• Areas with weak health infrastructure – mostly in developing countries – will be the least able to cope without assistance to prepare and respond.
• Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases through better transport, food and energy-use choices can result in improved health.