Project Listing

Climate Change

Title: Climate Change and Impacts on Human Health in the Arctic: An International Workshop on Emerging Threats and Response of Arctic Communities to Climate Change

Summary of Activity - Progress update (pdf)

Arctic Climate Impact Assessment was published in 2005 and was the first comprehensive scientific assessment of climate change in the Arctic (Arctic Council 2005). The assessment also provides recommendations by which communities, researchers and policy makers can begin to address the challenges posed by climate change.

The impact of climate change on human health of Arctic residents will depend on many factors. Much research remains to be done on the relationship between climate change and individual and community health. Climate will continue to influence public health in small and remote communities of the Arctic. The recent record of warming, and potential continued warming of the Arctic, combined with the multiple mechanisms by which climate impacts health indicate an urgent need for adopting community based monitoring strategies that would identify both emerging threats and opportunities.

The purpose of this workshop is to bring together researchers from circumpolar countries to: 1) update current knowledge on the impact of climate change on human health, 2) examine the principle conclusions and recommendations of the ACIA on human health to determine potential items for action 3) examine the feasibility of implementing community based monitoring strategy with and across regions to measure and report a common set of climate, health status, environmental, infrastructure and ecosystem indicators.

Contact:
Dr Alan Parkinson
Arctic Investigations Program
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
4055 Tudor Centre Drive. Anchorage Alaska
99508
USA
Tel: 907 729 3407
Mobile: no
Fax: 907 729 3429
Email: ajp1@cdc.gov