Climate Change and Health

The course on Climate Change and Health explores the profound and evolving links between climate change, human health, and planetary systems. Participants will gain foundational knowledge in climate science, examine health impacts, both current and projected, and learn about adaptation and mitigation strategies, including their health co-benefits across sectors like urban planning, food systems, and transport. The course emphasizes the concept of transformational change and equips participants with tools to become effective change agents within their institutions and communities. Integrating global frameworks such as the SDGs and the Planetary Health agenda, the course prepares professionals to advocate for and co-create sustainable, health-centered climate solutions.

• Introduction to climate science and climate change
• Associations between climate change and human health, presentation of observed and projected health impacts (beneficial and adverse effects) and discussion of selected example
• Concepts of climate change health adaptation and climate change mitigation, incl. economics of adaptation and mitigation and health co-benefits of climate change mitigation in the health sector and in other sectors (e.g. urban planning, food production and nutrition, transport)
• Planetary Health and the case of transformation
• Current status of climate change mitigation and health adaptation on institutional, city, country and global level
• Frameworks of climate change, the health aspects of the SDG framework and planetary health with focus on interlinkages and synergies
• transformational change concepts and examples in different sectors
• concept of becoming a change agent, including examples and the opportunity to practice
• Transformational change and health co-benefits

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• recognize the basic mechanisms of climate change and other key dimensions of planetary health, explain its main drivers and observed and projected consequences,
• illustrate observed and projected health impacts of climate change, present the concept of health adaptation measures and give examples,
• explain health co-benefits of climate change mitigation measures in other sectors and provide examples,
• associate the health aspect of climate change with international climate change frameworks and agreements and with the wider sustainable development and planetary health agenda,
• construct an argument for the need of transformational change in the context of climate change & planetary health, and use new methods for creating a transformational case/agenda, and
• identify the case for transformation to advocate for the climate change & health agenda and co-create a draft transformational agenda in a concrete local context/institution, jointly with key stakeholders.

Public health professionals, epidemiologists, researchers, health policy planners, and health allied professionals interested in environmental health and climate change.

Registration is Closed.

Please note that there is a fee of 200 EUR participants from HICs/ 100 EUR participants from LMICs

The CIH^LMU Teaching and Training Unit will contact you with further information regarding payment arrangements. Registration is not complete until the course fee has been paid in full.

The advanced module Climate Change and Health was held from March 31st to April 4th, 2025, in an online format via Zoom, providing an engaging and interdisciplinary exploration of one of today’s most pressing global challenges. Hosted by CIHLMU, in collaboration with external speakers and partner institutions, the course offered a unique opportunity to dive into the complex links between climate change, human health, and planetary systems.

After an introduction to climate science and the planetary health framework, African climate networks and community-led case studies were presented, such as the one from Baringo, Kenya, which highlighted the value of indigenous knowledge and locally adapted strategies in responding to climate threats.

Throughout the course, participants engaged in a rich mix of lectures, breakout discussions, and interactive group work. Topics ranged from health co-benefits of climate mitigation, to economics of adaptation and integration of planetary health into professional education. Discussions on gender, health, and climate change were particularly engaging. Female health professionals presented projects tackling menstrual hygiene and sexual rights in the context of climate change, proposing solutions like providing reusable menstrual cups and education as well as holding conversation circles on topics around menstrual health and hygiene, that incorporate the link to planetary health and highlights the importance of reducing consumption. Further innovative solutions mentioned were ranging from better ventilation of classrooms in heat-prone regions to transforming parking lots into green, cooling areas to reduce heat.

Later in the week, the focus shifted toward transformational leadership. Participants explored how to become change agents. A session on communication and narrative framing equipped participants with impactful advocacy tools, essential for climate leadership.

In the final days, the discussion moved toward policy and geopolitics. One session involved invited guests from the Ministry of Health in Somalia, who participated in a vibrant Q&A. Broader conversation touched on shifting political landscapes, evolving funding demands, and their potential to either hinder or empower climate change responses across regions.

We were especially pleased to welcome participants from several tropEd institutes, whose diverse academic and professional backgrounds enriched discussions throughout the week. Led by dedicated facilitators, including Melvine Otieno and Given Moonga, founders of Planetary Health Eastern Africa, the course provided participants with both the theoretical grounding and the practical strategies needed to drive transformative, health-centered climate action around the globe.