title: A 'Healthy Islands' framework for climate change in the Pacific.
abstract: Small Pacific Island countries (PICs) are among the most vulnerable countries in the world to the anticipated detrimental health effects of climate change. The assessment of health vulnerabilities and planning adaptation strategies to minimize the impacts of climate change on health tests traditional health governance structures and depends on strong linkages and partnerships between actors involved in these vital processes. This article reviews the actors, processes and contexts of the climate change and health vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning project carried out by the World Health Organization and health sector partners in three island countries in the Micronesian region of the Pacific throughout 2010 and 2011: Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau. Despite their shared history and cultural characteristics, the findings and implications of this article are considered to have substantial relevance and potential application to other PICs. The modified 'Healthy Islands' framework for climate change and health adaptation presented in this article draws upon real-world experience and governance theory from both the health and climate change literature and, for the first time, places health systems adaptation within the vision for 'Healthy Islands' in the Pacific region.
authors.affiliation: National Centre forEpidemiology andPopulation Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Lachlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McIver
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.affiliation: National Centre forEpidemiology andPopulation Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Cambodia Country Office, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iddings
mesh_terms: D057231:Climate Change; D004782:Environmental Health / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006285:Health Planning; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010139:Pacific Islands; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: climate change; environment and public health; policy and implementation