Hotspots in climate change and human health

The health effects of climate change will affect vulnerable low income populations first, and this review provides convincing evidence of the public health importance of monitoring hotspots of climate change and health

Is climate change a serious threat to health? According to the most recent international assessments it unquestionably is, although its impact depends on where you live, your age, access to health care, and your public health infrastructure.1^–4 Arguably, climate change is one of the largest environmental and health equity challenges of our times; wealthy energy consuming nations are most responsible for the emissions that cause global warming, yet poor countries are most at risk. In a globalised world, however, the health of populations in rich countries is affected as a result of international travel, trade, and human migration. Mapping “hotspots” of ecological risk has proved to be a useful construct for prioritising and focusing resources to stem the threat of losing biodiversity. Similarly, identifying hotspots in climate change and human health may help public health practitioners in anticipating and preventing any additional burden of disease.