Health in climate adaptation policy

The consequences of climate change have a major impact on human health. Take, for example, increasing heat, a prolonged allergy season, infectious diseases, and the physical and psychological impact of waterlogging and flooding.

Project objective

The project is aimed at embedding human health in climate adaptation policy and thus reducing the health impact of climate change.

Implementation

Best practices of community health services and municipalities across the Netherlands serve as the basis for this project. Its focus is on research into practical measures relating to such climate effects as heat, infectious diseases, and urban flooding. The knowledge and expertise amassed will be compiled into guidelines for community health services and municipalities. The guidelines will set out how policymakers can factor in human health in climate adaptation policy. The guidelines will be continuously updated on the basis of experience gained by community health services and municipalities. The guidelines will be completed by the summer of 2026.