Climate drivers

When analysing the primary policy framework for EU Member States’ efforts on integrating climate action in health policy, a recent survey suggests that most relate to the UNFCCC’s required process of reporting through national communications (NC), although awareness exists on the inclusion of health in the EU climate adaptation strategy. The survey report further states that in the seventh NC updates, several EU Member States stated direct effects and concern regarding climate change impacts on health, although only 13 Member States had chosen to dedicate a chapter to the topic. In a June 2019 report, the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) pointed to the ‘policy disconnect’, whereby health policy remains national while significant collaboration exists at EU level on climate change policy. The report called for a ‘health in all policies’ approach, making health a major focus in the revision of EU climate adaptation strategy and ensuring health impact assessments in climate action initiatives on e.g. urban design and transport. It further recommended looking into EU policy coherence related to food security-diet-environment interactions. Most of the EASAC recommendations are echoed in the 2020 report from the Commission’s Scientific Advisory Mechanism calling for the EU to use policy interventions to intensify the integration of health into climate adaptation and to target structural funding for adaptation.