Project Rationale

African ecosystems are already being affected by climate change, and future impacts are expected to be substantial. The IPCC Special report on climate change in Africa (2018) showed that ecosystems and species ranges (including pests and diseases) are already shifting, and climate change is also increasing stress on water availability, affecting agriculture, livelihoods, and human health.

The IPCC (2018) showed that climate is multiplying existing health vulnerabilities in Africa, including insufficient access to safe water and improved sanitation, food insecurity, and limited access to health care and education. Evidence is growing that highland areas could experience increased malaria epidemics due to climate change. The frequency of leishmaniasis epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa is changing, with spatial spread to peri-urban areas and to adjacent geographic regions, with possible contributions from changing rainfall patterns. Climate change is projected to increase the burden of malnutrition with the highest toll expected in children.

The type and magnitude of the health impacts of climate change will vary significantly among communities and regions. Variations are due to such factors as geographic and micro-climate differences, socio-economic conditions, the quality of existing health infrastructure, communication capacity, and underlying epidemiology. There is a lack of ground-truthed, meaningful country level data in SSA that is granular enough to inform effective policy action.

We need new approaches to health policy to respond to climate risks. In some cases, doing more of the same may be appropriate (e.g. using mosquito nets and other measures to prevent malaria). In other cases, completely different, innovative approaches to health care may be needed which require a deep understanding of the drivers, impacts and structural responses associated with climate change.

Climate policies are also highly relevant to health outcomes. For example, “low emission” transport and urban policies have both climate and health benefits. Policies promoting low carbon agriculture have both direct health benefits through lower pesticide use and also indirect benefits where they improve local food security and livelihoods.

Effective health and climate policy that addresses these interactions requires understanding of “Planetary Health.” ‘Planetary Health’ was coined in 2013 by the Rockefeller Foundation and is defined as the health of human civilisation and the state of the natural systems on which it depends. It encompasses how environmental changes are affecting human health, identifying effective solutions to support those most at risk, and proposals for ways to live on our planet more sustainably.

This project will build the evidence base for a Planetary Health approach to policy making in Sub Saharan Africa.

We will:

1. Help fill the evidence gap around ground-truthed interactions between climate change and health in Africa
2. Generate a greater understanding of cross sectoral policy solutions that address the health impacts of climate change that also have climate co-benefits, capitalising on “win-win” opportunities
3. Build bridges between the health and climate research and policy communities in Africa around shared evidence and policy goals.