The 2022 South America report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: trust the science. Now that we know, we must act

The 2023 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: the imperative for a health-centred response in a world facing irreversible harms

“…To this end, the Lancet Countdown has established Regional Centres around the world, to generate regionally-led policy-relevant evidence on the local links between health and climate change. The Centres in Asia (Tsinghua University, China), 55 South America (Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru), 56 Europe (Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain), 57 and Oceania (Macquarie University and the University of Sydney, Australia) 58 have well-established networks of regional researchers producing indicator reports for their respective regions or key countries within them. The growing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) centre (University of the West Indies, Jamaica) will publish their first report in 2024, while efforts are underway to launch develop a new African centre.…”

Identifying gaps on health impacts, exposures, and vulnerabilities to climate change on human health and wellbeing in South America: a scoping review

“…Anthropogenic climate change, understood as “ a change in the state of the climate that can be identified by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer ” and due to “ persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use ”, 1 is threatening the health and wellbeing of South American populations by increasing the risk of climate-sensitive temperature-, flood-, and drought-related morbidity and mortality; fresh water and food insecurity; and infectious diseases, especially those related to mosquito transmission. 1 , 2 Although anthropogenic climate change is a global phenomenon, South American countries are highly vulnerable at different levels due to their limited preparedness and capacity to respond to these climate hazards, together with fragile and under-resourced healthcare systems, as well as structural social inequities. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5…”

“…1 , 2 Although anthropogenic climate change is a global phenomenon, South American countries are highly vulnerable at different levels due to their limited preparedness and capacity to respond to these climate hazards, together with fragile and under-resourced healthcare systems, as well as structural social inequities. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5…”

A critical analysis of national plans for climate adaptation for health in South America

“… 2 An increasing proportion of people are exposed to heat waves, droughts, wildfires, vector-borne diseases, and other hazards. 2 , 3 , 4 These threats are exacerbated by high levels of poverty, gender inequality, limited access to basic infrastructure services, and state fragility; all of these characteristics of systemic vulnerability, and factors that are necessary to understand the societal impacts of climate change. 5 , 6 , 7 As a result, the health and well-being of the populations are significantly impacted.…”

“…5 , 6 , 7 As a result, the health and well-being of the populations are significantly impacted. 2 , 8 An immediate and integrated response to climate change is imperative at all levels of governance and across the entire region to address these challenges effectively.…”