title: Impacts of Climate Change on Vector Borne Diseases in the Mediterranean Basin - Implications for Preparedness and Adaptation Policy.
abstract: The Mediterranean region is vulnerable to climatic changes. A warming trend exists in the basin with changes in rainfall patterns. It is expected that vector-borne diseases (VBD) in the region will be influenced by climate change since weather conditions influence their emergence. For some diseases (i.e., West Nile virus) the linkage between emergence andclimate change was recently proved; for others (such as dengue) the risk for local transmission is real. Consequently, adaptation and preparation for changing patterns of VBD distribution is crucial in the Mediterranean basin. We analyzed six representative Mediterranean countries and found that they have started to prepare for this threat, but the preparation levels among them differ, and policy mechanisms are limited and basic. Furthermore, cross-border cooperation is not stable and depends on international frameworks. The Mediterranean countries should improve their adaptation plans, and develop more cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary and participatory approaches. In addition, based on experience from existing local networks in advancing national legislation and trans-border cooperation, we outline recommendations for a regional cooperation framework. We suggest that a stable and neutral framework is required, and that it should address the characteristics and needs of African, Asian and European countries around the Mediterranean in order to ensure participation. Such a regional framework is essential to reduce the risk of VBD transmission, since the vectors of infectious diseases know no political borders.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel. maya.negev@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negev
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel. shlomit@geo.haifa.ac.il.
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.affiliation: The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, Kibbutz Ketura 8884000, Israel. alexclermont@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clermont
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel. nomiroie@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Noemie Groag
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Pri-Or
authors.affiliation: Division of Pest Surveillance & Control, Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 34033, Jerusalem 95464, Israel. Urys@sviva.gov.il.
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Shalom
authors.affiliation: Division of Pest Surveillance & Control, Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 34033, Jerusalem 95464, Israel. TamarY@sviva.gov.il.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yeger
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel. manfred.s.green@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Manfred S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057231:Climate Change; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004199:Disease Vectors; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Mediterranean; adaptation policy; climate change; vector-borne diseases