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The 2024 Lancet Countdown report offers a sobering update on climate-related health risks. Globally, heat-related deaths among those over 65 have risen by 167% since 1990, with extreme weather events inflicting severe human and economic costs. The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events is wreaking havoc on human life with substantial economic and other costs. Importantly, efforts are required beyond the health sector as risk factors for health are often influenced by decisions made in other sectors, such as transport, agriculture and energy.
Vulnerable groups—women, children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions—face disproportionate risks, especially in Asia, where climate impacts such as heat exposure on older populations are more severe. While integrating climate considerations into health systems is urgent, Asia has a significant opportunity to leverage ambitious mitigation and adaptation policies across sectors. By quantifying health co-benefits, these policies can partially or fully offset abatement costs, fostering resilience and well-being.
Creating Intersectoral Connections to Promote ‘Healthier’ Policies
Numerous barriers exist to engaging sectors and ministries beyond health in the development of climate and energy policies that consider health impacts. Data and literacy gaps in conjunction with competing priorities are likely contributors to the reported decline in references to climate and health by governments in United Nations speeches between 2022 and 2023, and between second and third iterations of Nationally Determined Contributions.
Policies often address mitigation, adaptation, and development separately, despite evidence showing that integrated approaches yield better outcomes. Such approaches enable trade-offs to be addressed, maximize efficiencies, and align with shared goals. The Lancet Countdown Asia Centre’s 2024 report highlights the need for inter-departmental coordination to support healthier climate pathways.
Improving policymakers’ literacy on climate-health intersections is a practical starting point. Tools like evidence-based decision aids can help health ministries effectively communicate health, economic, and social co-benefits to their counterparts across sectors. Malaysia’s National Climate Change Policy 2.0 exemplifies this, emphasising integrated, multi-sectoral solutions and committing to a comprehensive climate risk assessment that includes public health, setting a precedent for collaborative and health-focused policymaking.
Collaborations for Impact: Building Partnerships for Health
Interdisciplinary partnerships across the Indo-Pacific are advancing climate-resilient health outcomes by mobilizing diverse stakeholders. For instance, the Indo-Pacific Climate (INPACC) Hub, established in 2023, brings together experts from research and tertiary education institutions, UN agencies, and NGOs to accelerate climate-resilient development. The Hub focuses on four areas: health, agriculture and water, just energy transitions, and governance and regulation. Activities include building a repository of intersectoral case studies and supporting interdisciplinary capacity-building for regional policymakers. To date, the Hub has supported the delivery of two Fellowship programmes, leading to the creation of a regional Climate and Health Community of Practice in collaboration with the Pacific Climate Change Centre.
Addressing local data and evidence gaps is crucial for policymakers to substantiate claims about the economic and other costs of inaction on climate-related health risks. It also enables them to highlight the economic and other benefits of strategic investments that optimise health outcomes during the development of climate policies and programs. Again, an interdisciplinary and holistic approach can be a highly effective approach to address gaps and anticipate emerging issues.
The Climate Collaborative Action for Transformative Change in Health and Healthcare (CATCH) Lab at the University of Melbourne exemplifies an interdisciplinary approach. By integrating diverse research streams, including sustainable healthcare, international engagement and adaptation, just energy transitions and intergenerational justice. CATCH Lab has achieved impactful outcomes in its first year, addressing climate-health literacy gaps and building capacity among doctors, policymakers, and youth to drive equitable and sustainable climate action.
Call to Action
Addressing knowledge deficits alone is insufficient to reduce climate-related health risks. Policymakers, investors, and communities must collaborate to build resilience to climate-sensitive health conditions. Establishing governance structures that foster multisectoral collaboration and decision-making is a critical first step. Funding mechanisms should prioritize health, gender equity, and social inclusion impacts, alongside robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track health and equity outcomes. Partnerships with tertiary institutions can enhance ethical project evaluation and help close data gaps. At a time when urgent and ambitious action has never been more important, we must work collaboratively within and across countries to ‘connect the dots’ on climate and health, and to realise the significant gains afforded when health is meaningfully considered during climate policy and programme development.
