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Human health impacts of climate change as a catalyst for public engagement: Combining medical, economic and behavioural insights

Cassandra Pillay (Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autonóma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain)
Jeroen van den Bergh (ICREA, Barcelona, Spain and Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autonóma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain and Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management

ISSN: 1756-8692

Article publication date: 21 November 2016

3144

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to clarify the relationship between climate change, its negative impacts on human health and its role in catalysing public engagement for climate policies. It aims to increase public support for climate-mitigation strategies by showing the medical case for negative climate-induced health impacts, the economic burden it entails and the public response to climate change that may be expected when health frames are used.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews medical, economic and behavioural studies focusing on climate-induced health impacts, its economic costs and its potential for catalysing public engagement for climate policy.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights about the various direct and indirect effects of climate change on human health which includes both physical impacts (infectious and non-infectious diseases) and non-physical impacts (mental disorders and reduced labour productivity). Extreme events such as storms, floods and droughts further seriously affect the health of many people, as they restrict food production and water supply. Economic damage costs of climate-induced health impacts are underestimated. Together, natural science, medical and economic studies warrant giving more attention to health in public debates on climate change. The more so as evidence of behavioural studies suggests that the use of health frames reinforces public concern for climate issues.

Originality/value

This paper argues that climate-induced health impacts and their economic costs should be given more serious attention in discussions about climate-mitigation strategies. They can augment public support for climate policy.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to declare no conflicts of interests. The authors are grateful to Stefan Drews and two anonymous referees for their useful comments.

Citation

Pillay, C. and van den Bergh, J. (2016), "Human health impacts of climate change as a catalyst for public engagement: Combining medical, economic and behavioural insights", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 8 No. 5, pp. 578-596. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-06-2015-0084

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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