Harmonizing Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Health Sector

Abstract

Our planet is getting warmer and this has severe consequences, whether we acknowledge them or not. Sea levels are rising, the amount of snow and ice is declining and the concentration of greenhouse gases is still increasing. The latest report from the International Panel of Climate Change released in September 2013 (see http://www.ipcc. ch/report/ar5/wg1/), makes it harder than ever to ignore that climate change can be attributed to human activities. As a consequence, extreme weather or climatic events will change in frequency, intensity, spatial distribution and duration, which combined with human factors, can lead to increased risk for serious health impacts, or even disasters.