Editing IPCC:AR6/WGII/Chapter-7 (section)

=== 7.4.1 Adaptation Solution Space for Health and Well-Being ===

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The solution space is the space within which opportunities and constraints determine why, how, when and who adapts to climate change (Chapter 1). ''There is increased understanding of exposure and vulnerabilities to climate variability and change, the capacities to manage the health risks, the effectiveness of adaptation (including a growing number of lessons learned and best practices), and the co-benefits of mitigation policies and technologies'' ( ''high confidence'' ) ''.''

''Effectively preparing for and managing the health risks of climate change requires considering the multiple interacting sectors that affect population health and the effective functioning of health systems'' ( ''high confidence'' ) ''. Given the wide range of causal pathways through which climate change affects environmental and social systems resulting in health impacts, a systems-based approach can promote identifying, implementing and evaluating solutions that support population health and health systems in the short and longer term'' ( ''high agreement, medium evidence'' ) ''.'' Such an approach provides insights into policies and programmes that promote health and well-being via multiple sectors (e.g., water and food safety and security) and can ensure that health policies do not have adverse consequences in other sectors ( [[#WHO--2015b|WHO, 2015b]] ; [[#Ebi--2017|Ebi and Otmani del Barrio, 2017]] ; [[#Wright--2021|Wright et al., 2021]] ) ''.''

Figure 7.11 illustrates the context within which risks to health outcomes and health systems emerge because of climate change. The figure presents the emergence of risk from interactions between specific types of climatic hazards, the exposure and vulnerability to those hazards, and the responses taken within the health sector. The figure also illustrates how health risks are situated within larger interactions between the health system and other sectors and systems, with underlying enabling conditions making adaptation and transformation possible. Within this context, response options can decrease the impacts of climate change on human health, well-being and health systems by (a) reducing exposure to climate-related hazards; (b) reducing vulnerability to such hazards and (c) strengthening health system responses to future risks. Such approaches are described as ‘Lateral Public Health’ and emphasise the importance of involving community members and stakeholders in the planning and coordination of activities ( [[#Semenza--2021|Semenza, 2021]] ; [[#Semenza--2011|Semenza, 2011]] ). Lateral public health strives for community engagement (e.g., through access to technology in decision-making, such as low-cost air sensors for wildfire smoke) in preparedness and response.

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'''Figure 7.11 |''' '''Context within which adaptation responses to climatic risks to health are implemented in the frame of interactions between health and multiple other sectors.'''

''Effective health risk management incorporates the magnitude and pattern of future climate risks as well as potential changes in factors that determine vulnerability and exposure to climate hazards, such as determinants of healthcare access, demographic shifts, urbanisation patterns and changes in ecosystems'' ( ''very high confidence'' ) ''.'' Climate change is associated with shocks and stresses that can affect the capacity and resilience of health systems and healthcare facilities ( [[#WHO--2020a|WHO, 2020a]] ). Figure 7.12 illustrates some possible extents to which the capacity of health systems could be reduced when exposed to a stress or shock, and possible pathways forward, from collapse to transformation. The subsequent sections of this chapter assess adaptation and mitigation options to facilitate building the resilience of health systems and healthcare facilities to recover better than before or to transform.

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'''Figure 7.12 |''' '''Health systems capacity and resilience to climate change-related shocks and stresses.''' From WHO (2020).

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