Impact of Climate Change on International Health Security: An Intersection of Complexity, Interdependence, and Urgency

Abstract

Climate change (CC) can be defined as a long-term shift in global, continental, and/or local climate patterns. Although many equate CC to the rise in global temperatures, the issue is much more complicated and involves a large number of interconnected factors. Among some of the less discussed considerations of CC are its effects on a broad range of public health issues, including the emergence of novel infectious diseases, the encroachment of infectious disease vectors into previously unaffected geographic distributions, and crop failures resulting in threats of malnutrition and mass migration. This chapter will be devoted to key issues related to CC in the context of international health security (IHS).

Introductory Chapter: Contemporary Considerations and Developments in Global Health Security

“…The fallout from the coronavirus disease (COVID- 19) exposed the various deficiencies and vulnerabilities of health systems around the world, even among the most medically advanced nations [3,4]. To further compound the already challenging global status quo, health equity issues adversely affect underserved communities and low-income countries, thus further contributing to the breakdown in global health security, especially in the era of rapid climate change, widespread medical misinformation, and increasing armed conflicts [5][6][7][8].…”

“…Global health security (GHS), according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), can be defined as "…the existence of strong and resilient public health systems that can prevent, detect, and respond to emerging infectious disease threats wherever they occur in the world" [2,[9][10][11] (Figure 1). Dramatic changes associated with globalization, population expansion, environmental degradation, armed conflicts, and chemical usage have advanced the spread of diseases, especially infectious agents, endangering the health of people and posing a grave threat to public health across geographical regions and international borders [1,5]. These undeniable consequences led to the formation of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA).…”