Local governments are often best positioned to respond to the most immediate health threats of climate change. They have a strong understanding of the populations they represent, are aware of specific health risks and can rapidly implement interventions.
But according to PhD candidate Desiree Rose and of the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s Climate Adaptation and Resilience Lab, local governments often struggle to carry out health-focused adaptation and are currently underprepared to face climate-health risks.
To make recommendations for change, Rose and Birchall took a in Edmonton, Calgary, Prince George, Surrey and Vancouver — cities that have recently experienced extreme climate events.
Although the cities have all initiated health-focused adaptation planning, they fall short in some areas, they say, including a lack of climate-health information, a narrow focus on heat at the expense of other health threats, and missing implementation details to support action.
“The cities note they are struggling to make progress on their health-focused adaptation agendas, and describe themselves as unprepared to face climate-related health risks,” says Rose.
Among their recommendations are increased collaboration with public health professionals, other local governments and academic institutions, and improving education for policy-makers and the public.