Mapping climate-health evidence: Using machine-learning to map the links between climate change and health
This report summarises the results of a systematic evidence mapping and synthesis project
Abstract
The global literature on the links between climate change and human health is large, increasing exponentially, and it is no longer feasible to collate and synthesise using traditional systematic evidence mapping approaches. This report summarises the results of a systematic evidence mapping and synthesis project to:
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Produce an up-to-date and interactive, computer-assisted systematic map of the published literature on the links between climate change, climate variability, and weather (CCVW), and health (including impacts, adaptation, and mitigation), with a global scope and additional focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and;
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Summarise the available published evidence on adaptation options and responses, and their effectiveness in reducing the impacts of CCVW on health in LMICs.
The authors findings suggest:
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A global foci of research on hospitalisations and mortality, particularly for infectious diseases, associated with extreme weather events, including droughts, flooding and heat; particulate matter, air quality, and the co-benefits of mitigation; the impacts and adaptation potential of public health systems.
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Evidence from lower income nations is largely focused on infectious diseases, particularly malaria and dengue. There is limited available evidence from low income countries on a number of topics where climate may have substantial impacts on health, including mental health, occupational health and injury, maternal and child health, chronic disease, and WASH.
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Evidence clearly indicates that there are substantial benefits for health of integrating adaptation with mitigation of fossil fuel emissions.
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Public health systems are both impacted by climate change and important mechanisms for adaptation response, playing a key role in disaster preparedness, adaptation policy and governance, and developing community resilience.
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In LMICs, the main climate change adaptations that have been evaluated for their impacts on health include behaviour change and infrastructural and technological improvements in response to flooding, rainfall, drought and extreme heat.
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Adaptation options and responses in the agricultural sector are extensively reported, in particular assessing the potential of climate smart agriculture (e.g. drought tolerant crops) on food production and food security.
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The quality of evidence on effectiveness of adaptation responses is weak, with very few ex ante formal evaluations, and highly heterogeneous (multiple diverse adaptation options and responses among different population groups, with a range of reported health outcomes).
There is also an evidence map and an article in the Lancet
Citation
Berrang-Ford, L., Sietsma, A., Callaghan, M., Minx, J., Scheelbeek P., Haddaway N., Haines, A., Dangour, A. (2021) Using machine-learning to map the links between climate change and health, London: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Link