A Taxonomy of Climate Change and Health Solutions Pathways: Development Of A Strategic Policy Framework

Climate change is increasingly being recognized as the single most significant threat facing global health. Urgency is now growing globally to address the health impacts of this threat. However, despite this momentum, existing frameworks fail to integrate climate change and health (CC&H) pathways with solutions and targets. This applied research project aimed to bridge this gap and create a solutions-focused policy tool to support global health practice. Through a literature review and semi-structured interviews with global philanthropic organizations, the research identified key challenges and opportunities. Findings revealed that CC&H pathways can be well articulated but that a comprehensive current understanding of the burden of disease associated with CC&H pathways remains elusive. In addition, a lack of formal CC&H strategies amongst philanthropic organizations exists. Many organizations are grappling with how to define and evaluate their CC&H work while overlooking existing global development agenda goals and targets. Overall, a persistent state of confusion prevails. Investment into the conditions for CC&H solutions to emerge independently of direct philanthropic support was identified as a major conclusion of this project. Philanthropy must invest both directly in CC&H solutions AND indirectly in the conditions that will enable CC&H innovation to occur. Investments must focus on building an understanding of the current burden of disease from climate change and identifying universally agreed-upon CC&H global goals and objectives, including the use of existing global development agenda goals and targets. To address the state of confusion, a results-oriented novel taxonomy was developed. The Taxonomy for Climate Change and Health Solutions Pathways categorizes seven key CC&H pathways. The seven pathways are extreme temperature, food insecurity, mental well-being (encompassing forced displacement), poor air quality, water insecurity, pathogens and vectors, and health systems. Each pathway includes a description of climate change drivers, the impact of drivers on individual pathophysiology or social systems that influence health, health outcomes associated with each pathway, relevant adaptation and mitigation solutions, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets. As a tool, the taxonomy facilitates communication, enhances understanding of the impact of climate change on health, and can help foster collaboration amongst organizations and stakeholders. In turn, the tool can enable evidence-informed decision-making and transformative policymaking. It is believed to be the first tool to integrate CC&H pathways, solutions and metrics, thereby filling a critical gap in the literature and policy-making practice.