Uneven Ground: New Policy Brief

The European Climate-Health Cluster has released its new policy brief, Uneven Ground: Health Inequalities in a Changing Climate.

Synthesising research from across Europe, the Brief highlights how heat, extreme weather, air pollution and infectious diseases are disproportionately affecting Europe’s most vulnerable communities.

The brief outlines six priority actions to support fair and effective climate and health policies across the EU:

1️⃣ Strengthen systematic monitoring of climate-related health inequalities , with data disaggregated by age, gender, income, disability, and geography.

2️⃣ Ensure EU climate policies empower local governments and communities to protect health , addressing social determinants like housing, employment, and education.

3️⃣ Integrate Health Impact Assessments into all EU policy evaluation , including mental health metrics, not just physical health indicators.

4️⃣ Strengthen early warning systems for heat, air pollution, and infectious diseases , designed explicitly for the most vulnerable populations.

5️⃣ Invest in multidimensional decision-support tools that combine climate, environmental, animal, and human health data to prepare for future threats.

6️⃣ Strengthen advocacy among policymakers, media, and communities to drive climate action that reduces , not deepens , health inequalities.

Download the policy brief