Health impact assessment of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Current climate policy focuses on two key aspects: the relevance and extent of mitigation measures to avoid crossing the point of no return; and the necessity for adaptation measures considering socio-economic state and dynamics across the globe. Assessing properly the health benefits of policy measures geared towards adapting to climate change is a key requirement for accurate impact assessment of climate action. METHODS: The climate exposome is the exposome of human population considering the climate change aspects relevant to the life course. The methodological framework for unravelling the climate exposome is presented and examples demonstrating its applicability and usefulness in climate policy are given. The new generation of integrated assessment models entail a model scheme based on enhanced data fusion and on the concept of ensemble modelling, supported by big data analytics for filling data gaps. RESULTS: Drivers pertaining to direct impacts on climate are increased temperatures; precipitation extremes; extreme weather events; and sea level rise. To better understand the impacts of climate change, the environmental and institutional context is accounted for including land use change; ecosystem change; condition of the infrastructure; geography; agricultural production and livestock use. The social and behavioural context including age and gender; race and ethnicity; poverty; housing and infrastructure; education; discrimination; access to shared and community health infrastructure is a significant modifier of the impacts associated with climate change. CONCLUSIONS: The climate exposome addresses interactions among activity sectors and the changing environment; exposure and effects of chemical, physical and biological stressors and waste; interactions among these stressors. Refined tools for understanding the impacts using high dimension biology techniques are crucial. The interplay between vulnerabilities and socio-economic factors affecting exposure profiles and individual susceptibility to these complex exposures determine the ultimate relationship between climate change and health. KEYWORDS: climate change, health, exposome