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

The health sector is covered in the National Adaptation to Climate Change Strategy - ENAAC 2020 (NAS, 2015), the Lisbon Metropolitan Area Climate Change Adaptation Plan (RAP, 2019), and the Climate change in Portugal: Scenarios, impacts and adaptation measures - SIAM 2006 (CRA, 2006). Health is the focus of the Regional Strategies of Adaptation to Climate Change - Health Region of Lisboa e Vale do Tejo (SAP, 2019). The implementation of health sector strategies is based on the networking of health services with other security, environmental and/or social support entities.

The health department is a part of in the Climate Action Commission, created in 2015 to enhance the involvement and promote the accountability of the various sectors for greater integration of climate policy in sectoral policies. Responsibilities of the Commission include: a) Providing political guidelines in the context of climate change; b) Promoting the articulation and integration of climate change policies in sectoral policies; c) Monitoring the implementation of sectoral measures, programmes, and actions.

The impact of climate action is identified in terms of health, amongst other fields, within an evaluation tool (Model of the Pilot Project on Prior Evaluation of Legislative Impact on Climate Action) developed to measure climate impacts of legislative proposals and sectoral policies. The pilot project is being implemented regarding preliminary legislative impact assessment on climate action, promoting alignment with the objectives undertaken by Portugal in terms of climate policy and providing an enhanced legislative procedure and a more transparent legal system.

In the health sector, it is essential to monitor the state health of the population, considering diseases transmitted by water, food, vectors and pathologies aggravated by air quality and exposure to extreme weather events. The monitoring of vectors that transmit diseases is carried out by the National Vector Surveillance Network (REVIVE).

In order to prevent the negative effects of intense cold or heat, Portugal has a Seasonal Health Contingency Plan – Winter Module and Summer Module. The Water Sanitary Surveillance Programs in the five health regions cover water for human consumption, mineral, natural and spring waters and bathing areas, and have as objectives the surveillance of the microbiological and chemical quality of the water in accordance with its uses.

Relevant to health, one of the major national issues for reducing quantitative pressures on water bodies is the promotion of water reuse from treated wastewater from any source for multiple purposes. Decree-Law No. 119/2019 of August 21 was published to control the practice, which advocates an approach similar to that provided for Regulation EU 2020/741, supported by the case-by-case definition of quality standards (fit-for-purpose) and risk management on health and environment.

Good practices for health in the field of adaptation include:

• Climate risk communication: Improved risk communication and information to the population. The progressive participation of the various public health services and departments in the National Vector Surveillance Network (REVIVE), in the Seasonal Health Contingency Plan – Winter Module and Summer Module and in the Water Sanitary Surveillance Programs, in collaboration with other entities, has allowed gains for the health resulting from knowledge and the better articulation of services.

Adaptation actions and measures addressing the health sector include:

• Definition and implementation of measures and strategies of adaptation of the health sector: This measure focuses on the definition and implementation of various actions and strategies to adapt the health sector to climate change.

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 Portugal are summarised here.

Policy documents reviewed:

National Adaptation to Climate Change Strategy (ENAAC 2020)

Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (P-3AC)

National Health Plan 2020

Aspects covered in the reviewed policy document:

Resources in the Observatory catalogue on Portugal