Climate action is pandemic resilience

Abstract

Managing effects of climate change will have positive outcomes for health Prolonged debate on the terms of the pandemic treaty has highlighted the differences in how to tackle our global health challenges. Despite the growing calls for a One Health approach, which integrates, optimises, and balances the health of people, animals, and the environment and aims to protect their collective health holistically, the global community continues to separate discussions about climate change, pandemic preparedness, and other health campaigns. The world is facing innumerable health challenges, including accelerating disease burdens, increased pandemic risk, and growing health inequities amid slowed progress towards universal health coverage. Climate change is driving poor health, eroding hard won progress, and creating new challenges. Our future pandemic risk is not exempt. These issues are deeply interrelated. Experts predict there is at least a 50% chance of another covid-like pandemic occurring in the next 25 years, and this risk is exacerbated by climate change.12 Critically, there are four concerns. First, changes in environmental conditions and extreme weather events are accelerating the habitat changes that fuel transmission of vector borne disease.3 Changing natural habitats increase animal movements and the opportunity for “steppingstone” moments and viral mixing. Modelling studies suggest the aggregate risk is up to 4000 cross events into …