Councils are being urged to join forces with local health authorities to tackle the health effects of climate change. Public health minister, Dawn Primarolo, has published a series of papers on the environment setting out guidance on local initiatives to combat climate change, promote sustainable communities and reduce health inequalities. The documents give advice on how to design buildings which stay cool in summer, warm in winter and flood-resilient, help people reduce their carbon footprint, and raise awareness of the health effects of climate change. They also highlight the need for local strategies to improve planning and deal with extreme emergencies such as heatwaves and flooding. Ms Primarolo said: ‘Climate change is a real threat and we must do everything we can to reduce its effects – for example, by reducing our carbon footprint – but we must also learn how to adapt to it. The Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency have already published the Health effects of climate change which outlines some of the effects it could have. Click here for a copy of the guidance
