Health and Climate Change

The climate crisis and the associated consequences of biodiversity loss and environmental pollution are increasingly being seen as the greatest threats to human health and health systems in the 21st century. The health-environment nexus is still only marginally represented in health professional education. The Health and Climate Change Project (full title: Klimatické vzdělávání pro zdravotníky a osvěta ohledně vlivu klimatické změny na zdraví; 2023–2025), coordinated by the Czech Climate Coalition, therefore aims to develop, pilot test and disseminate an educational module for medical professionals on climate change and in particular its implications for health and health systems.

The pilot validation of the educational module will take place at the Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in the form of an elective course. The module will be followed by an e-learning course designed primarily for general practitioners in the Czech Republic and individual interested health professionals.

The project is guaranteed by Dr. Marie Bourne, Dr. Anna Kšírová and Dr. Klára Matoušková.

• The burning of the fossil fuels

• Transportation, urbanism

• Heatwaves

• Mental health

• Impacts of the climate change and specific anthropogenic activities on biodiversity

• Foods production

• Antibiotic resistance

• Zoogenous infection

• Autoimmunity

• The human microbiome

• trends in the production of plastics as fossil products

• pollution by microplastics and nanoplastics and toxic substances bound to plastics

• endocrine and metabolic disruptors

• effects on brain development and behaviour, reproductive, metabolic and immune health

The primary target group consists of medical students and health professionals. In addition to education, we emphasize medical practice and prevention opportunities at the individual as well as institutional level. Our goal is to increase the climate and environmental literacy of the Czech health sector. We are also planning media coverage of the topic and education for the wider public.