Climate change is already now impacting people's health across the globe and is undermining factors for health and wellbeing, such as clean air and water, food, safe shelter, and economic opportunities.
The transdisciplinary Conference on Connecting Health and Climate Change #ENBEL2023 brings together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, NGOs and private sector representatives. It provides an arena to present research findings and discuss climate change effects on health, adaptation, societal consequences, and opportunities for climate-resilient development.
Climate change and health are often being treated separately, but we really need a transdisciplinary view on this topic. Health should be in all policies - in addition to a green deal, we also need a healthy deal."
Prof. Hans Orru from University of Tartu, a leading member of the conference scientific committee
The discussions during the conference include transformation of disease patterns; health impacts of heat stress; climate, heat and air quality interactions; economics and policies for a just transition; inequities and climate-resilient health systems as well as communication and partnership on climate change and health.
"Relationships between climate change, overexploitation of nature and health impacts including vector-borne and zoonotic disease risks are complex. We need to work together, and we are therefore encouraged that people across multiple disciplines from all around the world come together at the conference to share perspectives and discuss important connections between climate and health", says Dr. Henrik Sjödin from Umeå University, a leading member of the conference organizing committee.
The conference gathers more than 200 onsite participants from all continents plus online attendees.
Dr. Kristin Aunan, ENBEL project lead and research director at CICERO Center for International Climate Research highlights that the conference has succeeded in bringing together people from different disciplines and top-level keynotes. It includes adviser and former ambassador for global health Anders Nordström from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, top level scientists such as Jan S. Fuglestvedt, Vice-Chair of WGIII of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Cathryn Tonne from the Lancet Countdown Europe, as well as Vladimir Kendrovski from the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Aleksandra Kazmierczak from the European Environment Agency, Halshka Graczyk from the International Labour Organization and Ida Knutsson from the Swedish National Institute of Public Health.
"I believe this conference will inspire closer collaboration between climate scientists and the research communities addressing the health impacts of climate change. This is needed to enable the development of effective and equitable climate policies," says Kristin Aunan.
The program with all speakers can be found on www.enbel2023.se. It is still possible to register to attend the conference online, see information on www.enbel2023.se.
"This conference provides an ideal stage for young researchers in the field to connect and engage with mentors and experts from diverse regions. It serves as an excellent opportunity for them to enhance their global network and foster professional development", says Junwen Guo from Umeå University, one of the leading members of the organizing committee.
"As this conference highlights, the scale and urgency of the health risks of climate change is critical. We need a coherent research agenda on climate change and health to emerge in the next few years, with adequate funding", says Kristin Aunan.
Umeå University in Sweden, University of Tartu in Estonia and CICERO Center for International Climate Research in Norway are the organizers behind the conference that is organized as a part of the EU-funded project ENBEL - Enhancing Belmont Research Action to support EU policy making on climate change and health. ENBEL coordinates a network of international health and climate research projects under the Belmont Forum's Collaborative Research Action on Climate, Environment and Health and the EU's Horizon research program.
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