A global review of research on effective advocacy and communication strategies at the intersection of climate change and health

Description

This review summarizes research on the understanding of the health impacts of climate change among the public, health professionals, and public officials. It synthesizes findings from 195 peer-reviewed research studies published on this topic between January 2000 and July 2023 in English, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. The report also outlines effective strategies to communicate these impacts and future risks, and to advocate for solutions to reduce these risks. The primary objective of the literature review is to leverage existing research to identify practical recommendations for effectively communicating the health risks linked to climate change and the health benefits of climate solutions. 

Key findings from the report include:

• In many countries around the world, the public knows relatively little about the health relevance of climate change but informing them—about impacts, solutions, and supportive social norms—holds significant promise for increasing public engagement with the issue and building support for climate solutions.
• In countries worldwide, health professionals are trusted voices who can deliver this information, and many health professionals welcome this and related climate advocacy roles.
• Health professionals have necessary and unique opportunities to build public and political will for societal responses to the climate crisis—as a health crisis.

Reference information