title: Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: overview and implications for policy makers.
abstract: This Series has examined the health implications of policies aimed at tackling climate change. Assessments of mitigation strategies in four domains-household energy, transport, food and agriculture, and electricity generation-suggest an important message: that actions to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions often, although not always, entail net benefits for health. In some cases, the potential benefits seem to be substantial. This evidence provides an additional and immediate rationale for reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions beyond that of climate change mitigation alone. Climate change is an increasing and evolving threat to the health of populations worldwide. At the same time, major public health burdens remain in many regions. Climate change therefore adds further urgency to the task of addressing international health priorities, such as the UN Millennium Development Goals. Recognition that mitigation strategies can have substantial benefits for both health and climate protection offers the possibility of policy choices that are potentially both more cost effective and socially attractive than are those that address these priorities independently.
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Electronic address: andy.haines@lshtm.ac.uk.
authors: Andy
authors: A
authors: Haines
authors: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors: Anthony J
authors: AJ
authors: McMichael
authors: School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors: Kirk R
authors: KR
authors: Smith
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Ian
authors: I
authors: Roberts
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Woodcock
authors: Ikerbasque, BC3 (Basque Centre for Climate Change), Bilbao, Spain; University of Bath, Bath, UK.
authors: Anil
authors: A
authors: Markandya
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Ben G
authors: BG
authors: Armstrong
authors: Public Health and Environment (PHE), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Diarmid
authors: D
authors: Campbell-Lendrum
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Alan D
authors: AD
authors: Dangour
authors: Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London, London, UK.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Davies
authors: School of Population, Community and Behavioural Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors: Nigel
authors: N
authors: Bruce
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Cathryn
authors: C
authors: Tonne
authors: UCL Energy Institute, London, UK.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Barrett
authors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D057231:Climate Change; D014943:Global Health; D017752:Greenhouse Effect / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006292:Health Priorities; D011634:Public Health