| Country | Key findings | Adaptation recommendations |
|---|
Australia (McMichael et al., 2003b) | Increase in heatwave-related deaths; drowning from floods; diarrhoeal disease in indigenous communities; potential change in the geographical range of dengue and malaria; likely increase in environmental refugees from Pacific islands. | Not considered. |
Bolivia (Programa Nacional de Cambios Climaticos Componente Salud et al., 2000) | Intensification of malaria and leishmaniasis transmission. Indigenous populations may be most affected by increases in infectious diseases. | Not considered. |
Bhutan (National Environment Commission et al., 2006) | Loss of life from frequent flash floods; glacier lake outburst floods; landslides; hunger and malnutrition; spread of vector-borne diseases into higher elevations; loss of water resources; risk of water-borne diseases. | Ensure safe drinking water; regular vector control and vaccination programmes; monitor air and drinking water quality; establishment of emergency medical services. |
Canada (Riedel, 2004) | Increase in heatwave-related deaths; increase in air pollution-related diseases; spread of vector- and rodent-borne diseases; increased problems with contamination of both domestic and imported shellfish; increase in allergic disorders; impacts on particular populations in northern Canada. | Monitoring for emerging infectious diseases; emergency management plans; early warning systems; land-use regulations; upgrading water and wastewater treatment facilities; measures for reducing the heat-island effect. |
Finland (Hassi and Rytkonen, 2005) | Small increase in heat-related mortality; changes in phenological phases and increased risk of allergic disorders; small reduction in winter mortality. | Awareness-building and training of medical doctors. |
Germany (Zebisch et al., 2005) | Observed excess deaths from heatwaves; changing ranges in tick-borne encephalitis; impacts on health care. | Increase information to the population; early warning; emergency planning and cooling of buildings; insurance and reserve funds. |
India (Ministry of Environment and Forest and Government of India, 2004) | Increase in communicable diseases. Malaria projected to move to higher latitudes and altitudes in India. | Surveillance systems; vector control measures; public education. |
Japan (Koike, 2006) | Increased risk of heat-related emergency visits, Japanese cedar pollen disease patients, food poisoning; and sleep disturbance. | Heat-related emergency visit surveillance. |
The Netherlands (Bresser, 2006) | Increase in heat-related mortality, air pollutants; risk of Lyme disease, food poisoning and allergic disorders. | Not considered. |
New Zealand (Woodward et al., 2001) | Increases in enteric infections (food poisoning); changes in some allergic conditions; injuries from more intense floods and storms; a small increase in heat-related deaths. | Systems to ensure food quality; information to population and health care providers; flood protection; vector control. |
Panama (Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente, 2000) | Increase of vector-borne and other infectious diseases; health problems due to high ozone levels in urban areas; increase in malnutrition. | Not considered. |
Portugal (Casimiro and Calheiros, 2002; Calheiros and Casimiro, 2006) | Increase in heat-related deaths and malaria (Tables 8.2, 8.3), food- and water-borne diseases, West Nile fever, Lyme disease and Mediterranean spotted fever; a reduction in leishmaniasis risk in some areas. | Address thermal comfort; education and information as well as early warning for hot periods; and early detection of infectious diseases. |
Spain (Moreno, 2005) | Increase in heat-related mortality and air pollutants; potential change of ranges of vector- and rodent-borne diseases. | Awareness-raising; early warning systems for heatwaves; surveillance and monitoring; review of health policies. |
Tajikistan (Kaumov and Muchmadeliev, 2002) | Increase in heat-related deaths. | Not considered. |
Switzerland (Thommen Dombois and Braun-Fahrlaender, 2004) | Increase of heat-related mortality; changes in zoonoses; increase in cases of tick-borne encephalitis. | Heat information, early warning; greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies to reduce secondary air pollutants; setting up a working group on climate and health. |
United Kingdom (Department of Health and Expert Group on Climate Change and Health in the UK, 2001) | Health impacts of increased flood events; increased risk of heatwave-related mortality; and increased ozone-related exposure. | Awareness-raising. |