Tackling the effects of climate change on health in the Mediterranean and surrounding regions

This report is an output of a workshop organised by the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) in partnership with the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the Cyprus Institute, to assess the science base and evaluate options for protecting and promoting human health in the face of climate change in the wider Mediterranean region (that is, countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and their neighbours).

The collective aim of the workshop was to share emerging issues and lessons for the region, assess the relative importance of impacts, clarify groups particularly affected, and focus on solutions, in order to help develop advice for policymakers. The workshop was designed with wide scope, both geographically and in terms of the key topics. These included effects of extreme weather events, water shortage, food security, infectious diseases, air pollution, and health issues of displaced populations.

Core sections of this report include an introduction to the challenges for climate change and health; an overview of country presentations on climate change, health, and policy; and a general discussion and focus on policy challenges.