Webinar Climate Change, Health and Small Island States

The webinar "Climate Change, Health and Small Island States" was successfully held on July 29th, an event organised by our MSc student Wandini Lutchmun, in cooperation with the One-Health Knowledge Café.

The webinar focused on the health impacts of climate change from the perspectives of Small Island States (SISs), and strategies to build climate resilience in SISs.

Dr Collin Tukuitonga, Associate Professor of Public Health and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, discussed the specific challenges faced by the Pacific Islands. He emphasized on the vulnerability of the Pacific Islands to natural disasters, the impact of ocean acidification and coral bleaching on fisheries and food security, the increasing impacts on water security and sanitation and the change in vector ecology in the Pacific region.

Dr Renzo Guinto, Associate Professor of Global Public Health at the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine in the Philippines and Chief Planetary Doctor of PH Lab, gave us an introduction to the discipline of Planetary Health. Furthermore, he discussed the importance of building climate-resilient and ‘pandemic-smart’ health systems, decarbonizing the health sector, and health equity, describing “Universal Health Care and Climate change as sister agendas”.

Ms. Pamela Bapoo-Dundoo, environmental counsellor and National Coordinator of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme of the UNDP in Mauritius, introduced us to the work of local NGOs in Mauritius. Through a change in agricultural practices, waste disposal and innovative drainage systems, she demonstrated how local actions, especially those which empower women and marginalised members of society, has had significant impacts on building climate resilience in Mauritius.

If you wish to watch the webinar and learn more about climate change from the perspectives of Small Island States, you can find the recording on YouTube.

Please also find more information in the Webinar's Presentation.

Contact

If you have any queries regarding this webinar, please contact Wandini.Lutchmun@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
If you have any queries regarding OHKC activities, please contact onehealthknowledgecafe@gmail.com