The Lancet Countdown: tracking progress on health and climate change

Area of Science:

• Global health
• Climate change science
• Environmental health

Background:

• The 2015 Lancet Commission identified climate change response as a major 21st-century global health opportunity.
• The Lancet Countdown builds on this by establishing a multidisciplinary research collaboration.
• It involves academic institutions and practitioners worldwide.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a framework for tracking the health impacts of climate change.
• To monitor progress on health resilience, adaptation, and mitigation co-benefits.
• To provide annual indicator reports on global health and climate change.

Main Methods:

• The collaboration is structured around five thematic working groups: health impacts, resilience, co-benefits, economics, and engagement.
• It proposes potential indicators and indicator domains for tracking.
• Methodologies and datasets are being identified and refined through an ongoing consultation process.

Main Results:

• The paper outlines proposed indicator domains and methodologies for tracking health and climate change.
• It emphasizes the need for further refinement and stakeholder consultation.
• The initiative aims to complement existing monitoring processes like the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Conclusions:

• The Lancet Countdown will report annually on key indicators related to health and climate change.
• The indicator framework will evolve based on new evidence and stakeholder input.
• This collaboration seeks to foster engagement and develop new research in the field.