Climate Adaptation and Health Guidelines

Climate change is a major public health issue. For example, climate change is adding to the impact of heat and UV radiation on public health, whilst the risk of infectious diseases is increasing on account of the higher temperatures. The health impacts are largest for the lower income brackets. The Climate Adaptation and Health Guidelines explain how to limit the health risks entailed in climate change and how to embed relevant measures in policy.

For whom?

The Guidelines have been written for municipal and community health service staff. Within municipalities, both the spatial and the social domains can play a part in combating the health effects of climate change. The Guidelines can also be used by other organisations that wish to take appropriate measures, such as housing corporations.

How can the Guidelines be used?

The Guidelines are focused on three issues, which are gaining in importance as a result of climate change, and in which community health services can play a part: heat, UV radiation and infectious diseases. In the future, they may be expanded to other issues. The Guidelines address health risks, high-risk population groups, collaborations, and linkage opportunities in policy and measures. They also contain an overview of measures that municipalities can take to limit health risks ensuing from climate change.

More information on the Guidelines is provided on the relevant page of the Climate Adaptation and Health project.

Who has developed the Guidelines?

The Guidelines have been written by several community health services, in collaboration with the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). The Climate Adaptation and Health project falls under the national LIFE-IP Climate Adaptation programme, a programme co-funded by the EU which aims to expedite climate adaptation in the Netherlands.

Date of publication

The first version was published in December 2023, but the Guidelines are still being finalised.