Climate Change

Climate Change

Climate change is impacting our health and contributing to death, disease and inequalities across the world.

Why is climate change a public health issue?

The climate emergency is a health emergency. Climate change and air pollution threaten health and create inequality. The World Health Organization estimates that over 13 million deaths are attributed to modifiable environmental risks each year.

The 2022 Joint Public Health Conference, Healthy Planet, Healthy People, highlighted the impacts of climate change on population health in Ireland and Northern Ireland and the need to put health at the heart of our climate response. Climate change impacts health directly through the impact of extreme weather events. Extreme heat, flooding and storms are becoming increasingly frequent. It also impacts health indirectly through food and water insecurity, increasing transmission of infectious diseases, disruption of the health care systems, displacement of communities and negative impacts on mental health.

Read the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and find key facts from the World Health Organization on the impact of climate change on health. The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change is also dedicated to research and evidence on the impacts of climate change on health.

Key Facts: Climate Change

How climate change is impacting health

Almost 25% of all estimated global deaths are linked to environmental factors - WHO

Climate change is expected to cause circa 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 - WHO

Ireland: Policy, Strategy, Legislation

In Ireland, the following policies, strategies, and legislation are in place to mitigate against the impacts of climate change.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021

Department of Health - Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan 2019-2024

Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework - air and water quality indicators

Climate Action Plan (2023)

Northern Ireland: Policy, Strategy, Legislation

In Northern Ireland, the following policies, strategies, and legislation are in place to mitigate against the impacts of climate change.

Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme

Making Life Better Framework - Air and water quality indicators

Green Growth Strategy

Recent work on climate change

There is growing evidence around the impacts of climate change on our health at a global and national level. Our policy team use new and emerging evidence and data to develop policy briefs and submissions that will inform public policy in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Recent examples of our work include co-hosting the all-island Healthy Planet, Healthy People conference in 2022 while members of our team also contribute to the UK Faculty of Public Health Climate Change Committee.

Latest Climate Change Resources

Climate Change

Clean air

Blog: Does the Clean Air Strategy for Ireland go far enough to protect public health?

3 Aug, 2023 - In this blog, Dr Jenny Mack examines Ireland’s new Clean Air Strategy, which could see the development of a Clean Air Act next year, and explores if the new strategy goes far enough to protect public…

Climate Change Public Health

Blog for #EPHW2022: Health, wealth and our planet

Blog for #EPHW22: Health, wealth and our planet

18 May, 2022 - To mark European Public Health Week, Dr Jenny Mack, IPH Public Health Development Officer, explores the link between climate change and health in this blog about ‘Health, wealth and our planet’.…

Climate Change Public Health

Climate Change

Blog: Climate Change and Public Health -The heat is on for more urgent action in Northern Ireland

4 Nov, 2021 - In this blog IPH Public Health Development Officer, Dr Jenny Mack, explores the relationship between climate change and public health and outlines the Institute’s recent consultation response on the…