The EU must take concrete actions to address the public health effects and health systems threats of the climate crisis, EU health ministers urged on Thursday (30 November).

Ministers made the call at the EU Health Council, the last meeting under the Spanish presidency, stressing the need for specific bloc-wide measures to address the climate impacts that are already being felt in all European countries.

“It is important for the EU to be prepared through overall coordination and exchange of best practices to take on these challenges, which are not challenges for the future. There are challenges of the present,” said Spanish health minister Mónica García.

The past few years have seen an uptick in heatwaves across Europe, which in the summer of 2022 resulted in an estimated 62,000 deaths – a number set to increase in the following years.

Other major consequences include wildfires, rising sea levels and increased presence of mosquito-borne diseases rapidly spreading in Europe.

Malta’s Health Minister, Cristopher Fearne, explained in the meeting that climate change is under health competences and “therefore we need to have a clear position and we need to influence the climate change debate and we cannot expect this to be dealt with by other parts or by other ministries”.

The changing climate is a health issue, not only because of the direct consequences but also because it affects the capacity and resilience of healthcare systems, he explained.

During the meeting, EU health ministers asked the European Commission and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to analyse the specific threats and to look at the patterns of vector-borne infections, as warmer temperatures are creating conditions for mosquitoes carrying infections to spread in Europe.

They stated the need to look at surveillance and preparedness for new cross-border threats and to focus on preparedness and medical countermeasures such as the development of new vaccines, diagnostics and training of professionals.

“In short, this is a call to bring climate change or the climate crisis onto the European health agenda,” said Fearne.