Session 5
Session 5: Climate change and environmental determinants on diseases
This session was moderated by Dr. Anders Tegnell, Senior Expert, Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Brazil's overview and perspective on COP29 and COP30
Guilherme Netto, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Brazil
Summary available soon
Guilherme Netto's presentation (PDF)
Road map and work of the IANPHI Climate Change Thematic Committee
Dr. Sébastien Denys, Chair of the IANPHI Thematic Committee on Climate Change, Santé publique France
Dr. Sébastien Denys presented the IANPHI Climate Change Thematic Committee, which was established in 2022 to strengthen the role of National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) as key players in climate action by emphasizing the health impacts of climate change. With around 30 countries and 90 participants, the committee is seeking to expand its reach, especially to underrepresented regions. Its main goal is to ensure that health is recognized as a central issue in climate discussions, which are often dominated by environmental and economic concerns.
The committee developed a roadmap, presented at COP26 and later cited in the G7 Health Ministers' statement, which outlines priorities such as building NPHI capacity, encouraging collaboration, greening health services, and tracking progress through key indicators. A particular focus has been placed on heat-related health risks, which are increasing due to climate change. A recent global survey showed that many NPHIs are not yet addressing this issue adequately, prompting efforts to develop standard heat-health metrics.
In response, the committee is organizing two major workshops in 2025 to help develop a unified framework for monitoring and responding to heat impacts on health. The committee has also formed partnerships with major international organizations like WHO, WMO, and The Lancet Countdown, and continues to promote awareness and share knowledge through webinars and reports.
Sébastien Denys's presentation (PDF)
Country/ NPHIs experience on managing the risk of climate change and extreme weather: Heat waves and Flooding
Claudia Habl, Head of International Affairs and Consultancy, Austrian NPHI (GÖG)
Claudia Habl discussed Austria's evolving response to heatwaves, acknowledging initial hesitation due to the country's relatively mild average temperatures. However, with temperatures rising rapidly—1.9°C in just the last decade—and 2023 being the hottest year on record, Austria is now facing serious heat-related health impacts, especially among people over 65. Mortality during heat days (defined in Austria as over 30°C) is three times higher in this age group compared to cooler days.
This growing threat, combined with strong political support from the Ministry of Health and environmental agencies, led to the development of a Climate and Health Competence Centre. It focuses on two areas: making the health system climate neutral and improving resilience, particularly through early warning systems and heat health action plans.
Austria's first national heat health action plan was launched in 2017 and significantly revised in 2024 following WHO guidance. The updated plan includes new measures for vulnerable populations, better communication strategies, and collaboration with regional governments. Key actions include setting up heat warnings via Austria's national weather service, establishing heat hotlines, producing toolkits, and implementing protective measures in nursing homes and social care settings.
The plan also promotes long-term adaptation strategies like urban greening and infrastructure improvements. Austria has initiated staff training in care institutions and distributes water during heat events. She closed her presentation by emphasizing the importance of strong political will, cross-sector collaboration, reliance on WHO guidance, and learning from other countries through IANPHI to strengthen Austria's climate and health preparedness.
Claudia Habl's presentation (PDF)
Prof. Tahmina Shirin, Director, IEDCR, Bangladesh
Prof. Tahmina Shirin outlined Bangladesh's increasing frequency and severity of floods. Temperature rises in Bangladesh have sharply accelerated in recent decades, accompanied by rising rainfall and significant regional variation. This has resulted in more frequent river, tidal, flash, and urban floods, and a rise in sea levels. Currently, 30 of the country's 64 districts are flood-prone, with 11 areas identified as climate-stressed.
Bangladesh has faced devastating floods nearly every year over the past 70 years, with ten major floods since 1954 causing significant damage—including up to 5% GDP loss and millions affected. Health impacts during floods include drowning, snake bites, diarrheal diseases, skin conditions, infections, and impacts on reproductive and mental health. Floods also severely disrupt supply chains, making it difficult to provide essentials like clean water, food, and medicine.
To address this, Bangladesh has developed a comprehensive disaster management framework, policies, national plans, and standing orders. A national coordination structure is in place, led by the head of state, with involvement from various ministries and strong civil-military collaboration. Flood response is either local or national depending on severity. The country has established flood forecasting systems, improved embankments and drainage, and engaged millions of trained volunteers in early warning, evacuation, and relief distribution.
Despite being seen as a global role model in disaster management, Bangladesh still faces significant challenges due to high population density, difficulty reaching remote areas, limited access to regional meteorological data, technical constraints in flood forecasting, and ongoing financial limitations.