Demand for Practical Solutions
In a historic move, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that inadequate climate protection violates the right to life and private and family life, particularly affecting older women who are more vulnerable to heatwaves. This ruling, the first successful climate lawsuit at the ECtHR, underscores the urgency of climate health action.
The ruling, which focuses on the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), emphasizes the need for comprehensive, gender-sensitive, and gender-equitable climate health action in response to more frequent and prolonged heatwaves. This is in line with the Action Plan Climate Health NRW, which specifically addresses heat-related health risks for vulnerable groups such as women, pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
Research shows that heat poses significant health risks to these groups, with extensive research indicating that heatwaves increase the risk of premature birth, especially towards the end of pregnancy. In a 2022 survey, women in NRW reported heat-related issues more frequently than men, including sleep problems, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, and circulation issues.
To mitigate these risks, the Action Plan Climate Health NRW outlines essential strategies. These include targeted protection for vulnerable groups, heat warning and alert systems, reduction of indoor heat exposure, health and social care preparedness, community-based urban climate interventions, and long-term urban and social planning.
- Targeted Protection for Vulnerable Groups: Special care protocols are set for women, pregnant women, children, and the elderly, recognizing their higher susceptibility to heat stress, ensuring they receive prioritized support during heat events.
- Heat Warning and Alert Systems: Developing accurate and timely alert systems to notify vulnerable groups and caregivers about impending extreme heat episodes, to allow for pre-emptive action and risk reduction.
- Reduction of Indoor Heat Exposure: Promoting building modifications and usage of cooling measures in homes and care facilities where vulnerable populations reside to minimize heat exposure indoors.
- Health and Social Care Preparedness: Enhancing the readiness of healthcare and social services to respond to heat-related illnesses among the vulnerable, including training for providers and establishing protocols for early detection and treatment.
- Community-based Urban Climate Interventions: Funding projects such as shaded bus stops, community gardens, and water stations in publicly accessible spaces to provide direct relief in urban heat islands, prioritizing areas where vulnerable populations live or gather.
- Long-term Urban and Social Planning: Integrating heat reduction into urban development plans, including green infrastructure, to provide sustained protection for vulnerable groups from heat risks.
The plan emphasizes collaboration across sectors and ongoing monitoring and evaluation to adjust strategies based on effectiveness. While specific to NRW, these strategies align with World Health Organization guidance and best practices that underline the need for holistic and inclusive efforts to safeguard vulnerable groups from heat-related health risks.
Moreover, the ECtHR ruling underscores the importance of addressing climate health risks in light of changing labor markets to protect employees' health and ensure future-proof workplaces. This ruling could set a precedent for future climate-related lawsuits, instilling a sense of urgency in the global fight against climate change and its impact on human health.
- The Action Plan Climate Health NRW prioritizes targeted protection for women, pregnant women, children, and the elderly, acknowledging their increased vulnerability during heat events, identifying the need for special care protocols during such times.
- To reduce risks associated with heatwaves, the plan proposes the development of accurate and timely heat warning and alert systems to notify vulnerable groups and their caregivers of impending extreme heat episodes, thus enabling pre-emptive action and risk reduction.
- The Action Plan Climate Health NRW suggests implementing measures to reduce indoor heat exposure, including promoting building modifications and utilizing cooling methods in homes and care facilities, to minimize heat exposure for vulnerable populations indoors.
