Policy context

Policies covering the interlinkages between climate change and health exist at different levels, including the European and national level.

At the European level, there are policies on climate adaptation and coordinating activities in the health domain. Several European agencies and authorities operate with their activities in the fields of climate change and health. Besides, diverse other policy areas allow addressing the health impacts of climate change, too. In addition, the EU funds research and innovation, including on climate change and health, via its funding programmes. In the wider European Region, the WHO Regional Office for Europe works to identify policy options to help prevent and respond to the health effects of climate change, and supports the EU Member States in selecting and implementing the most suitable policies, measures and strategies.

At the national level, EEA’s 38 member and collaborating countries have their own national policies on climate change adaptation and their national health strategies, which are the key policy areas through which climate change impacts on health can be addressed.