Special Issue on Climate Emergency and Human Health and Survival

Introduction:

The Earth system is currently undergoing rapid changes, driven primarily by anthropogenic activities such as global climate change, biodiversity loss, diminishing resources, among others. Of these changes, climate change may be the biggest threat to humanity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that, without immediate action, global warming could reach 3.2 ^oC (2.2–3.5 ^oC) by the year 2100. Climate change poses a formidable challenge to human health and survival.

The key scientific questions we need to address are:

• To understand the complete spectrum of health impacts of climate change; and 
• To assess the determinants, thresholds and mechanisms of climate risk on population health, well-being and survival.

Meanwhile, emergency response plans and adaptation strategies may greatly assist in reducing and preventing climate change risks. It is also important to evaluate which emergency response methods and adaptation measures are most effective and what are the overall effects of these measures. 

This special issue will focus on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Advances in the development of climate change risk assessment framework
• Health co-benefits and potentially adverse effects of climate change mitigation
• Spatio-temporal patterns of extreme weather events and health impacts
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of response methods and adaptation measures to cope with climate impacts
• Mechanisms of climate change impacts and risks
• Scenario-based projections of climate change-related health risks to inform policymakers 

Through this Special Issue, we aim to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art risk assessment, challenges and knowledge gaps in the field of climate change and human health. In particular, we endeavor to provide scientific evidence for policymakers and public health practitioners to enhance sustainable development.

Important deadlines:

• Submission deadline: 30 September 2023
• Publication date: 28 Feb 2024

Guest Editors

• Shilu Tong, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China. Email:  tongshilu@nieh.chinacdc.cn
• Hilary Bambrick, The Australian National University, Australia. Email: hilary.bambrick@anu.edu.au
• Cunrui Huang, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, China. Email: huangcunrui@tsinghua.edu.cn
• Jouni J. K. Jaakkola, Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. Email: jouni.jaakkola@oulu.fi
• Qiyong Liu, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China. Email:  liuqiyong@icdc.cn
• Xiaoyuan, Yao, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China. Email: yaoxy@chinacdc.cn