4.E. Workshop: Climate change influence in the exposure to several risk factors: One Health approach as a solution?
Authors:   Organised by: NOVA National School of Public Health (Portugal),   Chair persons: Susana Viegas (Portugal), Ricardo Assunção (Portugal)
Published: October 2021

Climate change (CC), considered by IPCC as unequivocal, is associated with significant changes in long-term weather characteristics and short-term weather extremes in different regions of the globe. The increasing of exposure to several risk factors within the human, animal and environmental dimensions is one of the effects of CC. Considering that the persistence and mobility of chemicals/toxins are influenced by weather conditions, we can predict that human exposure will be affected. Additionally, changes in biota are also predicted as an adaptation to the CC scenario and due to the increased use of biocides. Additionally, the need for other agriculture regions due to CC will increase the contact with wildlife leading to “spill overs” and increasing the risk of occurring new pandemics. Several aspects still need to be targeted for future research projects aiming to understand the variability in exposure that can be promoted by CC and the impact on human health. Considering that CC affects not only human health, but also the environment and consequently the animal health, the One Health perspective is considered an adequate approach to tackle the foreseen effects. One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach, aiming to achieve optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between humans, animals, and their shared environment. This workshop aims to give an overview of the potential effects of CC regarding the increased exposure to several risk factors and the contribution of One Health as a multidisciplinary approach to tackle these issues. Five interlinked presentations will bring to the table several facets: CC, One Health, exposure to chemicals/toxins and biota. The workshop will focus mainly the impact of CC on public health and presenting some ways forward, namely in what regards to a multi-sectorial regulatory approach as a way of protecting human health. The workshop includes a first presentation by Joana Lobo Vicente from European Environment Agency to give an overview of climate change and the effects on environment, at European level, and with a special focus on exposure to chemicals. Further on, three presentations held by Ricardo Assunção, Carla Martins and Carla Viegas, researchers from academic Portuguese institutions, will shed a light on the exposure to chemicals, toxins and biota in Europe, the expected consequences and the associated burden of disease, and the azoles resistance by fungi. Lastly, the presentation of Susana Viegas will give an overview of the relevance of the One Health approach to tackle the CC impacts and how science can support a multi-sectorial policy action. Altogether, these presentations will highlight the need for a multi-sectorial intervention under the One Health to maximize the co-benefits in the three domains. The establishment of preventive measures is characterized by several challenges, but it is expected to allow Public Health achievements.

Key messages

CC will have extensive negative impacts on the exposure to different risk factors. The lack of studies focused on the assessment of the indirect effectsof the CC.