Governing One Health under climate pressure: policy implementation in Botswana

Climate change is tightening the links between human, animal, and environmental health, especially in settings where systems are already stretched. One Health is now widely recognised in policy circles, but in many cases, it remains more of an intention than something that is consistently practised.

This paper draws on a qualitative policy analysis of academic literature, national policy documents, and selected comparative examples from Kenya, Bangladesh, and Germany. The aim was not to be exhaustive, but to focus on how implementation unfolds, paying attention to coordination, surveillance, financing, and institutional arrangements.

The main barriers are less related to technical knowledge and more to organisation of systems. Responsibilities are still fragmented, data systems do not easily connect, and financing of joint work is limited. At the same time, there are signs of movement. Efforts around interministerial coordination, integrated surveillance, and regional collaboration suggest that implementation is possible, but uneven and still taking shape.

The findings point to a clear message. Making One Health work in practice depends on how governance is designed and sustained. At its heart, it is about clearer roles, better use of available resources and more consistent ways of working across sectors. In Botswana, where climate and health pressures are coming together, the real challenge is not new frameworks but getting existing commitments to work in practice.