The current and emerging climate change-related health risks in Asia and the Pacific include heat stress and water- and food-borne diseases (e.g. cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases) associated with extreme weather events (e.g. heat waves, storms, floods, droughts, glacial lake outburst floods), vector-borne disease (e.g. dengue and malaria), respiratory diseases due to air pollution, aeroallergens, food and water security, and psychosocial concerns from displacement.
There is still limited political commitment of the health, meteorology, and environment sectors to mitigate and adapt to climate change at national and international levels in the region. There is also insufficient awareness among the general public about climate change and its health impacts.
The availability of weather, climate, water, air quality, socioeconomic and health data is limited, and available data are often not well integrated. Furthermore, there is insufficient capacity for assessment, research, and communication on climate sensitive health risks in many countries.
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