WHO UNFCCC Health and Climate Change Country Profile Project
Monitoring health impacts of climate change and progress in building climate resilient health systems
The Health and Climate Change Country Profile Project forms the foundation of WHO’s monitoring of national and global progress on health and climate change. Working in collaboration with national health authorities and health stakeholders, the Project aims to:
- increase awareness of the health impacts of climate change;
- support evidence-based decision making to strengthen the resilience of health systems;
- support health involvement in national and international climate processes such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- promote actions that improve health while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Health and Climate Change Country Profiles
The Health and Climate Change Country Profiles, developed in collaboration with national health services, are data-driven snapshots of the climate hazards and expected health impacts of climate change facing countries. They highlight opportunities for health co-benefits from climate mitigation actions, track current policy responses and summarize key priorities for action. The Health and Climate Change Country profiles are updated every four years. Nearly 50 countries participated in the first 2015 cycle of country profiles. A new 2019 cycle of health and climate change country profiles is currently being launched which will present new evidence and country progress tracking. It is anticipated that country participation will expand to 100 participants by 2021.
Country profiles
- Health and Climate Change Country Profiles 2019/2020 cycle
- Health and Climate Change Country Profiles 2015/2016 cycle
Health and Climate Change Global Monitoring
Global progress on health sector response to climate change is tracked through the WHO Health and Climate Change Country Survey. The survey is sent to the national health authorities, who in collaboration with other relevant ministries and stakeholders, provide updated information on key areas including: leadership and governance, national vulnerability and adaptation assessments, emergency preparedness, disease surveillance, adaptation and resilience measures, climate and health finance, and mitigation in the health sector. Regular updates on key health and climate change indicators provide insight into the implementation of policies and plans, the status of assessments of health vulnerability and capacity to respond to climate change and better understand the barriers to achieving health adaptation and mitigation priorities.
Global monitoring of national health sector response to climate change provides a vital snapshot of the overall progress that governments have made, as well as insight into what work remains in order to protect their populations from the most devastating health impacts of climate change. The health and climate change country survey is conducted every three years and in addition to tracking global progress, the national data are presented in the health and climate change country profiles. Over 100 countries participated in the most recent 2017/2018 survey.
