Information from Governance Regulation reporting on adaptation (2023, 2021)

The health sector is covered in both the Austrian Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (NAS and NAP, 2017). Adaptation measures should involve no social downsides; but rather minimize risks to democracy, health, security, and social justice.

Adaptation actions and measures addressing public health include:

• General public relations and specific work on preparing for extreme events or outbreaks of infectious diseases: Raising awareness, informing the public and improving the capabilities of coordinated emergency services and the responsible institutions in order to prevent or minimize health risks and lower fatal casualties in cases of extreme events or outbreaks of infectious diseases.
• Dealing with heat and drought: Reducing heat stress and preventing additional climate change-related negative health effects in the population in especially heat prone areas (e.g., urban areas affected by the heat-island effect).
• Dealing with floods, mudslides, avalanches, landslides and rock falls: Maintaining supply functions of central services in cases of disaster and preventing fatal casualties, and acute and chronic as well as physical, and mental health effects.
• Advancement of knowledge and preparation for handling pathogens/infectious diseases: Improving the knowledge base on climate change-related alterations in the establishment and spread of pathogens and infectious diseases; suppression of the establishment and spread of pathogens, infectious diseases, and disease carriers (vectors); improving early recognition, diagnosis, and therapies for “new and emerging diseases.”
• Risk management with regard to the spread of allergenic and toxic species: Prevention/reduction of adverse health effects due to allergenic and toxic plants and animals.
• Dealing with pollutants and ultraviolet radiation: Prevention/reduction of adverse health effects due to changes in exposure to pollutants resulting from extreme events and climate change.
• Linking in and further development of monitoring and early warning systems: Preparation of the general public, health care, and aid organizations for climate change-related effects and emergency situations in order to reduce/prevent health consequences through the development of a common, coherent monitoring structure, in particular by linking existing systems. This structure should be adjustable to the respective risks (e.g., floods, heat, cold, pathogens/infectious diseases).
• Incorporation of climate-relevant topics in the training and further education of doctors and personnel in medical, therapeutic, and diagnostic health professions (MTDG): Increasing the competence of doctors and health care personnel in handling climate-relevant health topics.
• Protection of fresh/cold air production areas, ventilation paths, and “green” and “blue” infrastructure within residential areas: Improvement of microclimates in densely populated areas, prevention of overheating and heat-island effects, and compensation for increased bioclimatic stress on human health; securing the supply of fresh/cold air in built-up areas, avoidance of health risks due to heat.
• Review and (if necessary) adjustment of bioclimatically active measures in development plans: Improvement of microclimates in densely populated areas, prevention of overheating and heat-island effects, and compensation for increased bioclimatic stress on human health; prevention of heat-related health risks.

The integration of adaptation into sectoral policies and programmes, and thus mainstreaming, is increasing, with practical examples from the health sector.

The second progress report on the implementation of adaptation measures shows that climate change adaptation has gained momentum and activities for the implementation of measures have increased all over Austria. Early warning and monitoring systems are important for the protection of human health. Heat protection plans have been developed at federal level as well as in the majority of the federal provinces; they are targeted at information and warning of the population.

Good practices for health in the field of adaptation include:

• Guidebook: Protection against heat in houses and flats. The guidebook presents measures that can be used to achieve energy-efficient protection against heat. Tips against heat by Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) including heat telephone and videos on proper nutrition in heat and food safety in summer.

• Guideline Heat Action Plan: For medical and care facilities to create their own heat action plans: The guideline is aimed at institutionalised care areas of the most vulnerable population groups and those responsible for hospitals, nursing and care facilities. With recommendations for short- to medium-term and acute measures, it supports organisations in developing and establishing their own heat plans.

Information from EEA report. Climate change and health: the national policy overview in Europe (2022)

National policies on climate change adaptation and national health strategies were analysed to identify the coverage of climate-related impacts on health (physical, mental, and social) and the types of interventions addressing them. The report provides a European overview, while the geographical coverage of various aspects of national policies across Europe can be visualized using the map viewer. The results for Austria are summarised here.

Policy documents reviewed:

The Austrian Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change Part 1

Österreichischer Strukturplan Gesundheit 2017

Aspects covered in the reviewed policy documents:

Resources in the Observatory catalogue on Austria