Health equity and climate change are urgent issues.  Both have a major impact on human health and quality of life, and they are interlinked in a number of ways.  The recent report of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health points out that disadvantaged communities are likely to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden of climate change because of their increased exposure and vulnerability to health threats.  Climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events, increases the distribution of disease transmitting organisms, impacts on water supply and threatens food security in many underdeveloped countries.  Ironically those suffering the most are contributing the least to the problem.

Policies to address climate change will not necessarily improve health equity and can even worsen inequalities. However, with careful planning, policy can be designed to also improve the health of disadvantaged communities. As a comprehensive update to the Kyoto protocol is currently being negotiated in Copenhagen, it is therefore imperative that any changes to climate change policy are fully informed by the impact on health and aligned to the advancement of health equity in developing and developed countries alike.

This Workshop will explore the relationship between health equity and climate change. It will provide a forum for discussion on opportunities and a blueprint for action to help shape climate change policies that simultaneously address unmet health needs, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and reduce health inequities.