Thinking Beyond Silos: Integrating Both Climate and Health in Sustainable Development

Climate change and its impacts contribute to shifts and crises involving infectious diseases, heat related illnesses, food and water security, and more, which means integrating climate and health to strengthen resilience is key. This is especially true for near-tropics regions, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, that bear the brunt of climate shocks such as weather and water extremes, even though these same countries are among those who emit the smallest amount of contributing greenhouse gasses. As part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) crosscutting Climate Strategy, which is aligned with the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE), USAID is working with our partners to achieve goals that strengthen adaptation to climate change and its impacts. Additionally prioritized is partnering with and amplifying voices and needs of local communities as well as critical populations that are positioned as marginalized and/or underrepresented.

This presentation includes best practices and lessons learned thus far through design and workplanning phases of pilot activities that integrate information and data across disciplines and teams. One key activity leverages and expands the existing Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) to the health sector, currently in up to two Sub-Saharan African countries, including Somalia, by identifying and targeting measles and other health threats that are sensitive to climate change. Health and related information can also be fed back into FEWS NET to expand tools and inform decision making around food insecurity crises. A second primary activity integrates climate, malaria, entomology, and relevant data and information to identify and address linkages between malaria incidence and climate change in Rwanda, as mosquito and malaria hotspots shift depending on air temperature, humidity, rainfall, and relevant factors. These integrated efforts support forward steps towards larger Agency, national, bilateral, and multilateral goals to simultaneously strengthen climate resilience and public health objectives and systems.