Assessment of the health impacts of climate change in Kiribati.
Kiribati-a low-lying, resource-poor Pacific atoll nation-is one of the most vulnerable countries in the World to the impacts of climate change, including the likely detrimental effects on human health. We describe the preparation of a climate change and health adaptation plan for Kiribati carried out by the World Health Organization and the Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services, including an assessment of risks to health, sources of vulnerability and suggestions for highest priority adaptation responses. This paper identifies advantages and disadvantages in the process that was followed, lays out a future direction of climate change and health adaptation work in Kiribati, and proposes lessons that may be applicable to other small, developing island nations as they prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change on health.
Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. lachlan.mciver@gmail.com.
Lachlan
L
McIver
School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand. a.woodward@auckland.ac.nz.
Alistair
A
Woodward
Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Bikenibau, Republic of Kiribati. senyda@gmail.com.
Seren
S
Davies
Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Bikenibau, Republic of Kiribati. tnoran@gmail.com.
Tebikau
T
Tibwe
Division of Pacific Technical Support, World Health Organization, Suva, Fiji. iddingss@wpro.who.int.
Steven
S
Iddings
D000064:Acclimatization; D057231:Climate Change; D004782:Environmental Health; D062489:Health Impact Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008849:Micronesia; D018570:Risk Assessment