EN    EN EN 
 
EN    EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 1.4.2009 
SEC(2009) 416 
  
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 
 
Accompanying document to the 
WHITE PAPER 
 
Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action 
   
Human, Animal and Plant Health Impacts of Climate Change  
{COM(2009) 147 final} 
 
EN 2   EN COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 
Human, Animal and Plant Health Impacts of Climate Change  
The purpose of this Commission staff working document is to outline the main issues relating 
to human, animal and plant health in relation to climate change, to describe what is currently 
being done to address these challenges and, finally, to indicate key future steps for 
Community and Member State action to be considered.  
This paper is based on the general framewor k set out in particular in the White Paper 
"Adapting to climate change: Towards a Euro pean framework for action" [COM(2009) 147] 
which proposes to increase the resilience of hea lth and social systems and underlines the need 
to ensure adequate surveillance and control of the health impact s of climate change, such as 
epidemiological surveillance and the control of  communicable diseases or the effects of 
extreme events.  
In general, climate change is not creating ma ny new or unknown health threats, but it will 
increase certain interactions between environm ent and human health w ith stronger and more 
pronounced effects than currently seen. Most pub lic health measures and systems are already 
in place but they need to be tune d to the new situation and demands.  
This paper outlines what the European Union can do in concrete terms to address these 
potential challenges. 
INTRODUCTION  
The European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-20101 
The European Environment and Health Action  Plan 2004-2010 specifically addresses climate 
change and health under Action 8, which announ ces that emerging issues on environment and 
health will be identified and addressed.  
The Mid-Term Review of the E nvironment and Health Action Plan2 reported progress on the 
implementation of the Action Plan: on climat e change and health several EU projects3 have 
been funded under the Sixth and Seventh Fram ework Programmes (see also chapter 9 on EU 
Framework Programmes for Research) and th e EU Health Programme. The Mid-Term 
Review also stressed the importance of integratin g sectors and stakeholders and health issues 
into a comprehensive policy approach, and issues such as the health eff ects of climate change, 
in particular. Lastly, it announced that the focus on climate change and health will be 
increased in the future implementation of  the Environment and Health Action Plan. 
                                                 
1 COM(2004)  416. 
2 COM(2007) 314 - SEC(2007) 777. 
3 MICORDIS, CANICULE, EuroHEAT, EDEN, 
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_information/ dissemination/unexpected /unexpected_2_en.htm  
 
EN 3   EN In its Conclusions on Environment and Healt h, the Council urged the Commission and the 
Member States to develop tools for antici pating, preventing and responding to potential 
threats from climate change4. 
The European Parliament has called for enhanced multi-agency cooperation ‘in order to boost 
the early warning system and thus to curb th e harmful effects which climate change has on 
health’5. The European Parliament also calls on  Member States a nd the Commission to 
respond adequately to the new threats posed by climate change, such  as the increased 
presence of emerging viruses and undetected pathogens, and therefore to implement new 
existing pathogen reduction technologies that reduce known and undetected viruses and other 
pathogens transmitted by blood6. 
In addition to the implementation of the EU  Action Plan, the Comm ission is supporting the 
World Health Organisation and EU Member States in implementing the "Children's 
Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe " (CEHAPE) and the Ministerial Declaration 
issued in Budapest in 2004. Health issues relate d to climate change will be one of the main 
pillars of the next Ministerial Conference on Health and Environmen t, which is due to be held 
in Italy in March 2010.  
The JRC (Commission Joint Research Centre) su pports the European Environment and Health 
Action Plan by providing the scientifically base d information needed to help the EU and the 
Member States reduce adverse health impacts from environmental factors. In relation to climate change and health, the JRC was invol ved in the GAPCC (Global Air Pollution and 
Climate Change) Action contributing to scie ntific research on th e linkages between air 
pollution and climate change, so that policy makers were made aware of the potential 
synergies and trade-offs in wh ich the atmosphere and the climate system work. This action 
includes: the European Flood Alert System (E FAS), developed within the Weather Driven 
Natural Hazard (WDNH) project, which seek s to provide medium-range flood simulations 
across Europe with a lead-time of between 3 and 10 days, and which will provide information 
for the preparation and management  of aid during a flood crisis; and the European Forest Fire 
Information System (EFFIS), which supports the services in charge of  the protecting forests 
against fires in the EU  and neighbouring countries, and whic h also provides information about 
forest fires in Europe.  
Legal basis 
According to the objectives of the Community acti on in the field of public health as set out in 
Article 152 of the Treaty Community action, shall complement national policies, shall be 
directed towards improving public health, preventing human illness and diseases, and obviating sources of danger to human health. Su ch action shall cover the fight against the 
major health scourges by promoting research in to their causes, their transmission and their 
prevention, as well as health information and education. The legal base for the adoption of 
measures relating to animal and plant health  is laid down in Artic le 37 of the Treaty. 
                                                
 
4 20th December 2007  
5 Paragraph 24 of European Parliament Resolution of 4 Se ptember 2008 on the mid-term re view of the European and 
Health Action Plan 2004-2010 (2007/2252(INI)) . 
6 Paragraph 26 of European Parliament Resolution of 4 Se ptember 2008 on the mid-term re view of the European and 
Health Action Plan 2004-2010 (2007/2252(INI)) .  
 
EN 4   EN 1. H UMAN HEALTH  
Following the impact assessments conducted in a number of European countries and research 
funded by the EU and WHO-EURO, climate cha nge is expected to have impacts on the 
epidemiology of many diseases a nd health conditions. This asse ssment is further supported by 
reports7 from WHO and IPCC8 describing the negative impact on human health.  
The way in which such health effects are expe rienced between and within different countries 
will be uneven, also given the geographical make up of the EU. The nature and scale of the final impacts will depend on the adaptive capacity and actions of health systems and the baseline access of different populations to thes e services. Some of the measures might be 
efficient enough under current climat es, but might need to be st rengthened or revised in a 
situation of much stronger or  accelerated climate change.  
Health systems are vulnerable to extreme clima tic events. Indeed, climate change might have 
an impact on health systems by increasing the demand for health services beyond the capacities of those systems. It may also interfere with their ability to cope with demand by 
undermining infrastructure, techno logy and the availability of wo rkforce. This is linked to 
emergency preparedness and response. 
1.1. The EU Health Strategy  
The EU Health Strategy acknowledges the importa nce of addressing major threats to health. 
Climate change and its impact on public health is mentioned as  an important challenge in 
terms of protecting citizens fr om health threats. Adopted in 2007, the strategy set out 
proposals for action on climate change. Th e Commission then undertook to draw up a 
document on "Health aspects of adaptation to climate change
9. 
1.2. Direct and indirect impacts of cl imate change on human health 
Climate change will affect human health, either  directly - in relation to the physiological 
effects of heat and cold - or indirectly, fo r example, through alte red human behaviours (e.g. 
forced migration, more time spent outdoors), the increased transmission of food or vector-
borne diseases, or other effects of climate change, such as fl ooding. An increase in some of 
these impacts has already been observed in Eu rope over recent decades (for example, the 
summer heat waves in 2003 alone are believed to have resulted in more than 70 000 excess deaths (Robine et al, 2008)).  
Not all climate related changes are negative fo r human health. In temperate areas, milder 
winters will lead to less cold-related fata lities. The indoor environment will be improved 
because of milder measures to keep comfor table indoor temperatures . Outdoor workers will 
                                                
 
7 http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E91865.pdf  page 9  
8 http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessme nt-report/ar4/wg2/ar4-wg2-spm.pdf 
9 The Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the  Communication Together for Health: A Strategic 
Approach for the EU 2008-2013{COM(2007) 630 final}: p. 33 "The Commission will produce a report on Climate 
Change covering a range of areas of  concern including health. The most up-to-d ate scientific information on health 
effects from  extreme weather and events relating to climate change will be gathered and analysed to  support 
effective responses in preventing and responding to them. Th e implementation of  surveillance systems for the main 
effects of climate change su ch as heat-waves and flooding  will be examined. The capacity of EU health systems 
and infrastructure to cope with different  levels of climate-related health threats will be estimated, with the aim of 
supporting contingency planning for hypotheti cally dangerous situations as necessary."  
 
EN 5   EN have less cold related stress  during winter season, which w ill improve productivity. An 
increased growing season together with more precipitation will promote agriculture and food production but also private gardenin g and other outdoor activities. 
Morbidity and mortality. The primary concern in Europe is linked to heat-related mortality 
and morbidity, due to increases in annual temp erature and extremes of  heat, although these 
issues are also influenced by socio-econom ic changes due to population growth, age 
distribution (the ageing European  population) and other factors,  such as migration. In EU 
countries, it is estimated that mortality increases by 1–4% for each one-degree rise in 
temperature, meaning that heat related morta lity could rise by 30 000 deaths per year by the 
2030s and by 50 000 to 110 000 deaths per year by the 2080s, (PESETA project
10). The 
elderly, in which the ability to control and regulate body temperature is reduced, are most at risk of death from heat stroke and cardiovascu lar, renal, respiratory and metabolic disorders 
(Matthies et al, 2008). Whilst the numbers of to tal deaths are strongly related to population 
size, the change in death rates can be much greater in regions wher e conditions are conducive 
to greater warming.  
Food-borne diseases
11. In addition, temperature-sensitive in fectious diseases, such as food-
borne infections (Salmonella sp., and others.)  are likely to grow. Recent work (PESETA, 
based on Kovats 2003) shows that the disease bur den in Europe could be significant with 
potentially an extra 20 000 cases per year  by the 2030s and 25,000 to 40,000 extra cases per 
year by the 2080s.  
Vector-borne diseases12. A great deal of attention has been  devoted to changes in vector-
borne disease patterns in relation to climat e change. The IPCC foresees climate change 
leading to changes in infectious  disease transmission by vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks, 
as a result of changes in th eir geographic range, seasons of activity and population size 
(Confalonieri et al, 2007); land use change s and socio-economic factors (e.g. human 
behaviour, the movement of people and goods) w ill continue to be important too. A number 
of models have investigated th e potential increase  of malaria risk in pa rts of Europe. Although 
accurate predictions are difficult at the present ti me, there is agreement nevertheless that the 
overall risk of transmission of malaria related to localized climate change is very small, especially where there are ad equate health services and good management of mosquito 
control (EEA/JRC/WHO, 2008).  
Nonetheless, new challenges may emerge, as ch anges in vector distribution and capacity - 
particularly in combination with increased hum an mobility - could facilitate the introduction 
and local transmission of new em erging pathogens. As regards ot her mosquito-borne diseases, 
this phenomenon was seen in  the 2007 Chikungunya virus outbreak in Europe ; the 
sustained presence of a suitable vector might cr eate the conditions for future local outbreaks 
of Chikungunya and even Dengue fever, although the latter is less likely.  
                                                
 
10 PESETA report, http://peseta.jrc.ec.europa.eu/docs/Agriculture.html  
11 Food-borne diseases: an infection acquired by consuming contaminated food or drink. Myriad microbes 
and toxic substances can contaminate foods. Most of  the 250 known food-borne diseases are infectious 
and are caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Other food-borne diseases are essentially poisonings 
caused by toxins, chemicals contaminating the food. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and 
diarrhoea are frequent in food-borne infections. 
12 Vector-borne diseases are bacterial,  viral, or parasitic diseases transmitted to humans and animals by the 
bite or sting of infected vectors as  insects, e.g. mosquitoes or ticks 
 
EN 6   EN Changes in tick distribution have also been obs erved. The limit of tick distribution in the EU 
is shifting northwards a nd also to higher altitudes; plus, th e shift towards milder winters may 
lead to an expansion of  the tick population and, consequent ly, to the human exposure to Lyme 
borreliosis and Tick-borne encephalitis. There ar e also reports of cha nges in the geographical 
distribution of sand flies, which are a vector of Leishmania sp. Further work needs to be done 
to determine the role of climat e change in the future epidem iology of other diseases and it 
may take many years before accurate estimates are available.  
Water-related issues. Aside from flooding, a number of othe r water-related issues are also 
important. Heavy precipitation has been linke d to a number of outbreaks of water-borne 
diseases, due to the mobilising of pathogens  or extensive water contamination from 
overflowing sewage pipes. Reductions in summer  water flows may increase the potential for 
bacterial and chemical contamination. Higher wate r temperatures may also result in increased 
occurrence of harmful algal blooms.  Increased faecal bacteria contamination is also likely to 
affect drinking water intakes and areas of wate r used for recreation. Furthermore the scarcity 
of suitable water for routine hygiene practices of  high significance for health such as proper 
hand washing might contribute to more  infectious diseases outbreaks. 
Air quality. There are a number of othe r health issues emerging from climate change in 
Europe, where quantification and valuation have  not been explored sufficiently on a Europe-
wide basis. Whilst air pollution levels have fa llen dramatically in recent decades in Europe, 
the health risks of air pollution are still sign ificant, primarily from particulate matter and 
ozone (Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution, TSAP13). However, future policy on air quality 
and on climate (mitigation) is very likely to determine any future increase in respiratory diseases and mortality.  
The most significant effects of climate change are likely to be in relation to ozone – which is a 
major pollutant in many parts of Europe. The EEA/JRC/WHO study reports that climate 
variability and climate change have contributed  to an increase in ozone concentration in 
central and south-western Europe, and the climat e-induced increase in ozone levels might be 
hampering current ozone abatement efforts. Ther e are no detailed projections for the future 
effects of climate change on air pollution in Eu rope - and even recent studies on air pollution 
(e.g. TSAP) have not factored in how climat e change might influence air quality levels
14.  
Air allergens. There is also the potential for an increase in the seasonality and duration of 
allergic disorders (‘hay fever’, asthma15), with implications for dire ct costs in terms of care 
and medicines, as well as lost working hours. Finally, there may be other indirect health 
effects due to climate change acting on other health  determinants, such as on indoor and 
outdoor air quality, the level of air pollution and the nature, sever ity and timing of air 
allergens, such as pollen or mould. Populations  at potential risk include children and the 
elderly. However, people alr eady suffering from chronic resp iratory conditions such as 
asthma, serious allergies or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be particularly at risk. 
                                                
 
13 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/L exUriServ.do?uri=COM:2005:0446:FIN:EN:PDF  
14 There are an estimated 21000 premature deaths from ozone each year in the EU, as we ll as over an estimated 100 
millions respiratory symptoms days, see the TSAP.  
15 ISAAC study (International Study of Asthma and Allergie s in Childhood), asthma prevalence in children across the 
ISAAC European study centres ranged from 5% to 20% in the period from 1999 to 2004. Allergic and asthmatic 
symptoms are associated, among other causes,   
 
EN 7   EN Ultraviolet radiation. Another indirect impact of clim ate change on health comes from 
potentially changing ultraviolet radiation. It has already been  shown that higher ambient 
temperatures will influence clothing choices and time spent outdoors, potentially increasing ultraviolet exposure in some regions (Confalonieri et al., 2007). Aspects of potential UV 
threat are explored by the EUROSUN project on the quantification of sun exposure in Europe 
and its effects on health. The aim of this proj ect, which is funded by the Community Health 
Programme, is to monitor ultraviolet exposure a nd its correlation with the incidence of skin 
cancers, including malignant melanoma and cataracts
16.  
Mental diseases. We know already that psychological effects   following acute disasters can 
be considerable, especially in high risk gr oups like children. The multip lication of disasters 
due to adverse climate change c onditions could therefore lead to  the increase of  incidence of 
people affected in this respect. 
Vulnerable groups. As already estimated in relation to th e impact of heat waves, the overall 
health effects of climate change should be une venly distributed across the regions of Europe. 
Since health and well being are also strongly related to socio-econom ic drivers such as 
income, housing, employment, education, gender a nd lifestyle, the impact s of climate change 
should alter health inequalities within and betw een countries, and lead to uneven distribution 
and additional burdens for lower income gr oups and certain vulnerable groups, such as 
children, those working outdoors, the elderly, wo men and people with a pre-existing illness.  
As an example, current heat related mortal ity has been shown to reveal a strong socio-
economic dependence. For some effects, e.g. mo rtality related heat and to air pollution, the 
elderly are far more vulnerable, and there may be  additional factors aff ecting this group which 
are linked to socio-economic status. 
Increased migration due to climate change. The impact of climate change on national 
economies, availability of food and water, as we ll as the rise in sea le vels, has as possible to 
increase the migration of the population worldw ide. However, the exacerbated environmental 
conditions will predominantly impact internal and intra-regional mobility. The growing needs 
for humanitarian assistance and health protectio n of vulnerable groups mi grating both to and 
even within the EU territory could require an  enhanced capacity of Member States' health 
systems.  
We could also anticipate an increase in displaced populations  arriving from non-Member 
States to the EU territory – which is a frequent migratory destination - to exacerbate the challenge to Member States’ h ealth systems. Providing EU suppor t to the source countries of 
migration to deal with a potential impact of climate change and with  displaced people on the 
spot will mitigate a potential impact of climate change on the internal and intra-regional displacement of people. These measures may m itigate or limit the potential problems that 
Member States could face. Similarly national h ealth systems in the EU could benefit from 
preparedness planning to improve their ca pacity to deal with such challenges. 
1.3. Levers to improve EU capacity to react to Climate Change in relation to human 
health 
Improve Health Security 
                                                
 
16 Moreover, since early 1980's, the European Code agains t Cancer recommends “to avoid excessive sun exposure,” 
supporting European Commission policies of cancer prevention. (http://www.cancercode.org/code_06.htm)  
 
EN 8   EN The Health Security Committee (HSC) was set up by the Council as an informal committee to 
address preparedness for and responses to majo r health threats, such as CBRN events or 
pandemic influenza. It focuses on three area s, each assisted by a section consisting of 
representatives of the Member States. These ar eas are: (1) generic pr eparedness and response 
for public health emergencies; (2) response to  chemical, biological and radionuclear (CBRN) 
attacks, and (3) influenza prepar edness and response. On the basis of the work of the HSC, the 
Commission adopted a Communication (COM 2005/605 final of 28.11.2005) on 
strengthening coordination of generic preparedne ss planning for public h ealth emergencies at 
EU level.  
A co-ordinated response during a public health em ergency requires linking the relevant health 
crisis centres at the level of Member States , Commission and EU and international agencies. 
The requirements for proper command and control include: situational awareness of casualties 
and resources, co-ordination of  the response and of communications, information analysis and 
management and simulation for event-analysis and training.  
In order to be ready for any emergency or crisis , all of the abovementioned aspects have to be 
evaluated and tested. Performing specific focussed training events and exercises is one of a 
number of instruments available for assessing the level of readiness, and for identifying the 
gaps in the preparedness of the European Un ion in all its components. The Commission has 
established a three-year framew ork contract to provi de the possibility to test and improve 
preparedness by means of simulated public heal th crises from scenarios drawn up to cover 
five targeted deliverables (case studies, tabl e-top exercises, command post exercises, field 
exercises and specific staff training events). 
The EU Health Programme 
As a logical extension of preparedness, there wi ll be a need for awaren ess of change and of 
surveillance and monitoring. A number of tool s are already available following the support 
given to projects under the EU health programme, particularly in the wa ke of extreme weather 
events in Europe over recent years.  
Community funding of programmes has helped advance our state of knowle dge of the public 
health dimensions of climate change. The EU Health Programme17 supports projects and 
actions to improve health information and knowledge for the development of environmental health information systems: addressing envi ronmental exposures, ur ban air pollution or 
monitoring of ultraviole t exposure and its effects on inciden ce of skin cancers and cataracts. 
Funding has been provided for:  
• EUROHEIS : a European Health and Environment Information System for Risk 
Assessment and Disease Mapping; Aphekom: Improving knowledge and communication 
for decision making in Air polluti on and Health in Europe), and EUROSUN: 
Quantification of sun exposure in Europe and its effects on health. 
In line with the Environment and Health Actio n Plan, the EU Health Programme contributed 
work on environment determinants with a focus on actions to develop networks and exchange 
best practices; to address indoor air quality, taki ng into account the combination of effects of 
                                                
 
17 Public Health Programme: http://ec.europa.eu/eahc/  
 
EN 9   EN building materials, household chemicals and ther mal conditions in elderly homes; to address 
the quality of indoor air in schools. Funding was provided for example for  
• EuroHEAT which  deals with actions at different levels: from health system preparedness 
coordinated with meteorological early warn ing systems to timely public and medical 
advice and improvements to housing and urban planning 
The actions under the Health S ecurity strand focus on the development and coordination of 
early warning and surveillance sy stems in specific ar eas (e.g. cold spells, health effects of 
flooding, airborne allergens, ultraviolet radi ation and vector-borne and other human and 
animal infectious diseases), in line with  the Commission Communication on adaptation to 
climate change, including its health effects a nd evaluation of policy impacts. Funding was 
provided towards: CEHAPIS: Climate, environment and health action plan and information 
system; EUROMOMO: European monitoring of excess mort ality for public health action; 
HIALINE: Health Impacts of Airborne A llergen Information Network; CLIMATE-TRAP: 
Climate Change Adaptation by Training, Assessment and Preparedness. 
The role of the European Centre for Disease and Control prevention (ECDC) 
One of the areas of competence of the European  Centre for disease prevention and control, 
established by Regulation 851/2004/EC, con cerns emerging health threats.  
Within its terms of reference,  the ECDC has thoroughly investig ated the topic of impacts on 
health caused by climate change. On 28-29 May 2008, the ECDC hosted an international workshop on linking environmental and infectious  diseases data in Sigtuna, Sweden. The 
ECDC then went on to develop a comprehe nsive feasibility study for a European 
Environment and Epidemiology Network (the E3  network) in conjun ction with external 
consultants.  
By connecting these sources of information, the E3 network should bolster European early 
warning for climate-related disease events . It should also enable forecasting and risk 
mapping of infectious disease incidence in relation to en vironmental changes .  
In addition to exploring the possibilities of th e E3 network, ECDC has launched several other 
projects focusing on the impacts of climate chan ge on the spread of communicable diseases.  
In 2007, ECDC commissioned a large-scale proj ect aimed at assessing the magnitude and 
significance of vector-borne diseases in Eur ope. Climate change, as one of many drivers of 
vector-borne diseases, was a variable considered  in the project. Key out put of the project is 
identification of priority of vector-borne diseases for Eur ope, based on the likelihood of 
occurrence and the potential human health impacts.  
ECDC is building upon the findings of the vector-borne project by focusing in more detail on 
specific priority diseases. One project that has already been launched will develop risk maps 
for Dengue
18 in the EU , based on a range of variables that includes climate change 
projections.  
                                                 
18 Dengue fever is a virus-based disease spread by mosqui toes. It is caused by several related viruses (four 
different arboviruses), and is spread by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly the mosquito Aedes 
aegypti , which found in tropic and subtropic regions.  
 
EN 10   EN Meanwhile, ECDC has also commissioned a  comprehensive risk assessment specifically 
focusing on the impact of climate change on  food- and water-related diseases in the EU . 
The goals for this project are to identify, assess and help prioritise the anticipated short- and long-term impacts of climate change on the patt erns of transmission of food- and water-borne 
diseases, including salmonellosis, listeriosis, cryptosporidiosis and campylobacteriosis. Using 
the findings from this project, which are due towards the end of 2009, th e next phase of the 
project will be to develop tools for Member States to facilitate their own similar risk assessments in this field. 
ECDC has also launched a project to develop tool kits for Member States on how to 
conduct vulnerability and adaptation asse ssments related to climate change and 
communicable diseases . These tool kits will provide Member States with scientifically 
robust methodologies and decision-making algorithms for conducting vulnerability 
assessments and developing adaptation strategies focused on mitigating the transmission of communicable diseases. 
During 2009, ECDC will be cooperating with the Swedish Presidency of the EU to help 
organise a workshop focused on zoonoses and climate change. Th e workshop is scheduled to 
take place on 2/3 July 2009 in Jönköping, Sweden. 
The Community Statistical Programme 
The European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) – of which the first wave is now being 
implemented in the European Statistical System (ESS) - is monitoring health including environment related variables as part of Eurostat 's data collections on he alth status and health 
determinants. The implementation of the new Regulation 1338/2008 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a fr amework for Community statistics in on public 
health and on health and safety  at work, will be key for a sustainable health monitoring 
system, which will inter alia include data on hum an health in relation to climate change.  
The role of the EU Framework Programmes for Research 
The fifth Framework Programmes for research ha ve provided support to a number of projects 
in the field of climate change, such as the PHEWE project (Assessment and Prevention of 
acute Health Effects of Weat her Conditions in Europe) and cCASHh (Climate Change and 
Adaptation Strategies for Hu man Health in Europe). 
In the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), the ma jor projects relevant for the climate change 
effects on health are EDEN and MICRODIS . The EDEN project (Emerging Diseases in a 
Changing European Environment) is studying how changes in European environment and 
ecosystems, whether caused by altered human ac tivity patterns or cha nges in climate, can 
influence the spatial and temporal distributi on and dynamics of human pathogenic agents. The 
MICRODIS project (Integrated Health, Social  and Economic Impacts of Extreme Events: 
Evidence, Methods and Tools) aims to build- up the scientific and em pirical foundation on the 
relationship between extreme events and th eir health, social and economic impacts
19.  
Additional FP6 projects addressing  to some extent health eff ects of climate change include 
GAL2EN  (Global allergy and asthma European network), INTARESE  (Integrated 
                                                 
19 http://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/pdf/eur23460_en.pdf  
 
EN 11   EN assessment of health risks from environmental stressors in Europe) and CIRCE  (Climate 
change and impact research: th e Mediterranean environment)19. 
Under the ongoing Seventh Framework Programm e for Research (FP7), two projects, 
ARCRISK  (Arctic Health Risks: Impacts on health  in the Arctic and Europe owing to 
climate-induced changes in contaminant cycling) and CLEAR  (Climate change, 
environmental contaminants and reproductive hea lth) examining the health risks resulting for 
Arctic populations from climate change induced changes in the distribu tion of environmental 
pollutants have been launched in 200920. A project on the health effects of changing surface 
UV radiation levels ( ICEPURE,  Quantification of changing su rface UV radiation levels and 
its impact on human health) started this year as well21. Finally, the integrated project 
ESCAPE  (European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects22) looking at air pollution 
effects on European populations, taking into  account also climate change, was funded. 
Starting from the third FP7 call for proposals, the Environment and Health sub-activity under 
the Cooperation programme includes a funding area  on the Health impact s of climate change. 
Topics presented in the third call for proposal s deal with climate ch ange and water-related 
health issues and with the quantification of climate change impacts on health in low income developing countries. Other re levant projects addressing climate change issues, are 
EUROSUN, PHEWE  and cCASH
23. 
International cooperation, EU Enlargem ent and European Neighbourhood Policy 
Cooperation is necessary with international or ganisations and with the priority partner 
countries at global level as well as with the Enlargement and ENP countries at the European 
and regional levels, and to invite  the neighbouring countries to pa rticipate in joint actions and 
encourage them to undertake the necessary work  and measures, includin g the development of 
national strategies.  
                                                 
20 ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/en vironment/docs/catalogue_projects_2008.pdf  
21 ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/envir onment/docs/catalogue-projects-fp7envnmp_en.pdf  
22 http://www.escapeproject.eu/index.php  
23 http://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/themes/projects_en.htm#2  
 
EN 12   EN 2. ANIMAL HEALTH  
2.1. Direct and indirect impacts of clim ate change on animal health 
Recent evolutions have indicate d that climate change has already had an impact on animal 
disease occurrence, wh ich is twofold:  
Non-statutory  diseases i.e. those not subject to EU veterinary legislatio n, which affect the 
animals' living conditions and are conducive to pa thologies such as parasitic diseases (e.g. 
infestation/affection by nematodes and taenia), nutritional disorders, s unstroke or dehydration 
which can be very important for the farmers' economic situation, while the official animal 
health status for contagious inf ectious diseases remains unchanged. 
Statutory diseases i.e. those covered by international and EU veterinary legislation, which 
influence the risk of occurrence of serious transm issible infectious animal diseases especially 
vector-transmitted diseases, diseases depende nt on specific weather conditions and those 
transmitted by wildlife. These diseases are relevant  in determining the animal health status of 
a country. This includes a number of vector-borne diseases  such as Rift Valley Fever, 
Bluetongue, African Horse Sickness, African sw ine fever and West Nile Fever and most 
importantly Bluetongue with its emergence in  the summer of 2006 in the Netherlands and 
current persistence and spread up to Sweden which is much further north outside the 
previously known range of virus distribution. 
The dynamics of non vector-borne diseases  such as infections with avian influenza , may 
also be influenced by changes to migratory routes of wild waterfowl. The EU has already 
experienced during early 2006 that very cold weat her in some areas causing feed scarcity and 
unusual freezing of open waters forced wild wate rfowl to change their flyways which has led 
to the introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza of the H5N1 subtype into the EU. 
Some wild bird species have already decreased their range of  migration, which could also 
contribute to the spread of certain infectious fi sh diseases to new areas. Virus persistence in 
the environment including in water may also be  influenced by changes in temperature.  
Wildlife  plays an important role in transmission of animal diseases such as avian influenza, 
rabies, classical swine fever and tuberculosis . Reduced water availability will lead to 
increased congregation of animals and be conducive to conditions for the persistent 
circulation of pathogens. 
2.2. Levers to improve EU capacity to react to Climate Change in relation to animal 
health 
The role of the Community Animal Health Strategy24 
Given that prevention rather th an reacting to animal diseas es is the focus of the new 
Community Animal Health Policy, it also aims at  considering the clear influences of climate 
change on animal health.  
The Strategy's Action Plan provides for enhan ced data gathering, data exchange and the 
strengthening of existing animal disease surv eillance systems. The development of a new 
Animal Disease Information System (ADIS) will provide better and more comparable epidemiological data to risk managers, enabli ng them to better identify, evaluate and respond 
to changing or emerging disease situations.  
                                                
 
24 Communication from the Commission to the Council, the Europ ean Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the 
Committee of the Regions COM 539 (2007) 539.).  
 
EN 13   EN A task force of epidemiological experts on animal disease surveillance (TFADS)  has been 
set up by the Commission to advise on improve ments to current EU systems for animal 
disease surveillance and on new surveillance strate gies, e.g. for West Nile  Fever. In order to 
evaluate the risks of the occurrence of vector-b orne diseases that are heavily influenced by 
weather conditions and climate change, weather forecasting and analysis will need to be 
included in the early warning systems.  
For the establishment of  further vaccine banks for certa in infectious animal diseases  to 
ensure better preparedness, the Commission has r ecently set up a task force to provide expert 
advise on this matter. Disease surveillance must be combined with a network of expert laboratories with the appropriate diagnostic capabilities to  carry out testing fo r still exotic or 
rare diseases, e.g. Rift Valley Fever. For some diseases it will be necessary to further strengthen collaboration with laboratory expe rts in third countries that have specific 
experience of the disease concerned and to m obilise and coordinate scientific resources 
throughout the EU in order to provi de scientific advice within the remit of EFSA in the area 
of Animal Health. 
An integrated approach to epidemiological, entomological and environmental data 
collection and analysis  is crucial to maximise synergy an d to avoid duplic ation. There are 
also plans to mainstream human and animal health disease surveillance activ ities through 
enhanced co-operation and exchange of knowledge.  
Enhancing Animal Disease Awareness and Preparedness 
As part of the  contingency plans for certain infectious animal diseases  Member States must 
ensure awareness and preparedness. These plan s must contain pre-prep ared information for 
farmers, veterinarians, related sectors and th e general public, includin g descriptions of the 
diseases, preventive measures and practical cont rol measures. Veterinary legislation further 
requires that simulation exerci ses be carried out regularly. 
Early detection of and response to  a changing picture of diseases  is a key element within 
the Community Animal Health Strategy to ensure disease awareness and preparedness. Farmers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse staff, pet shop owners, private pet keepers (including 
those keeping exotic animals) and others that  handle animals must be able to notice even 
slight changes in the animals' behaviour and production data.  
Clear communication with stakeholders is cruc ial to make all those dealing with animals 
aware of their responsib ility within the overall context of  animal health, food safety and 
human health which together form the concept of "One World – One H ealth". Sensitivity to 
climate change is an aspect that has to be considered as a priority in the exercise of 
categorising animal health risks of relevance for EU intervention. 
Response to animal health crises 
A longstanding capacity to  react to animal hea lth crises already exis ts in the Commission 
based on crisis preparedness, rapid exchange of  information and close collaboration with the 
veterinary authorities of the Member States to swiftly res pond and manage animal health 
crises. . It has proved effective in mitigating th e impact of outbreaks of contagious diseases on 
animal and human health (e.g. highly pathogenic avian influenza of the H5N1 subtype). The 
scope of these measures can be extend ed to include other emerging diseases. 
 
EN 14   EN The role of research in the a rea of animal health and ad aptation to climate change 
The Framework Programmes have provided suppor t for a considerable number of projects 
relevant to animal health policy and of particul ar interest with regard to climate change and 
the areas of actions.  
In the 7th Framework Programme, the animal health res earch is reinforced and focused to take 
into account the changes which are rapidly occurr ing at global level including especially with 
regard to climate change affec ting directly the ecology and evolu tion of the infectious agents, 
their vectors and hosts giving rise to  emerging and re-emerging threats.  
For instance, the projects ASFRISK  (Evaluating and controlling the risk of African swine 
fever in the EU) and ARBOZOONET  (International network for capacity building for the 
control of emerging viral vector borne zoono tic diseases) which are currently ongoing under 
the 7th Framework Programme can also contribute si gnificantly in the work of the adaptation 
ot climate change with regard to animal health. 
3. PLANT HEALTH  
3.1. Direct and indirect impacts of cl imate change on plant health 
It is expected that global warming will aff ect cropping systems, plant breeding and natural 
vegetation such as forests, meadows and woodl and, because climate is the main determinant 
of their geographical distributi on. Currently the pre ssure on agriculture and forestry from 
insect pests and insect-borne diseases is less at higher latitudes, owing to the less favourable 
climatic conditions. In the northern geograp hical regions the problems from both non-
quarantine and quarantine pests ar e considered to be fewer than  those observed in the south. 
Along with trade, which is considered to be the main pathway for the introduction of harmful 
organisms and invasive species, global warming plays a complementary role being the other 
important “driver of change” affecting both th e incidence and severity  of plant diseases. 
Overall, it can have certain adverse econom ic consequences on crop production by imposing 
additional costs on agricultural inputs like e.g. crop protection. 
A considerable effect on pathways of exotic pest introduction in new geographic regions is 
anticipated: as climatic conditi ons become more favourable, new or migrant plant pests may 
become established and more widespread in area s that were previously considered being pest-
free. An example is that of pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus  currently 
causing great damage in Portugal. The nematode is a considerable threat for the northern areas 
in the EU and it has been estimated that if the average temperature increases above 20ºC during July or August, a mortality of 50- 90 % of conifers should be expected. 
Depending on the geographical region, variati on in temperature range and changes in 
precipitation patterns can resu lt in prolonged and/or more  frequent droughts or flooding. 
Indigenous plants will be subj ected to greater environmenta l stress and will become more 
vulnerable to pests and diseases. In principl e, fungal and bacterial pathogen outbreaks are 
expected to increase both in number and in term s of the severity of outbreaks in areas with 
 
EN 15   EN increased rainfall25. However, warmer summers may also  favour certain thermophilic fungi. 
High temperatures in winter and spring w ill prolong the vegetation period by altering the 
growth cycles of host plants and reducing their tolerance. More generations of insects will be seen per growing season. Both the in sect population and the amount of fungi inoculum  
surviving during the winter period will increase, re sulting in more infection foci in the next 
cropping season. Additional data show that, du ring warm summers, certain insect species 
have extended their geographic range further no rthward. It will become increasingly difficult 
to produce virus-free pr opagating material stocks, such as seed potatoes, even at northern 
latitudes because warmer winters will favour the survival of aphid speci es and facilitate the 
spread of virus diseases during the summer. In addition, higher wint er temperatures and 
longer water-logging periods will create favourable  conditions for the development of root rot 
and blight. 
On the other hand, high CO
2 concentrations in the atmosphere, along with the rise in 
temperature, could possibly resu lt to an increase of the pr oduced biomass overall affecting 
crop yields. Partial melting of the ice and the pe rmafrost (the layer of permanent ice under the 
surface) may lead to a reducti on of the arctic tundra and to  the expansion of forests 
northwards. Other plants, includ ing new crop species and varie ties, might find more suitable 
growing conditions and the tendency for cereal production at mid-to-high latitudes will 
increase. 
Hence, it would be reasonable to assume that mo st insect pests have th e potential to become 
more damaging due to global warming. It is also  likely that the pests’ natural enemies may 
increase, making the overall effect less predictable. This is because in many cases there is a fine balance between pests/diseases, thei r natural enemies and their host plants. 
Regarding plant health, it is recognised that the recent rapid increase in agriculture (e.g. 
Western corn rootworm Diabroti ca virgifera virgifera), forestry  and public green sites (e.g. 
Pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus,  Pitch canker Gibberella  circinata and Red 
palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) pest in cursions, into the EU necessitates the 
establishment of closer links between plant health and environmental policy.  
3.2. Levers to improve EU capacity to react to Climate Change in  relation to plant 
health 
The existing legislative tool of the Commun ity Council Directive 2000 /29/EC along with the 
Commission Decisions providing for emergency measures consist the frontline of defence 
against the introduction into and spread wi thin the Community of quarantine harmful 
organisms. According to this legislation, Me mber States notify new outbreaks of already 
existing but not yet established harmful organisms. In addition, they provide for plant health 
controls to be carried out at the Community point s of entry or points of destination, as well as 
for the detection of newly appearing plant pests.  
The Commission has already in place a system for the control, inspection and evaluation of 
the situation, using as main tool the EUROPHYT, the EU database of intercepted consignments and harmful organisms (the plant health equivalent of the Rapid Alert System 
for Food and Feed (RASFF)). A network of experts of the National Plant Protection 
                                                
 
25 http://www.foresight.gov.uk/In fectious%20Diseases/t7_2a.pdf  
 
EN 16   EN Organisations, meets monthly at the relevant regulatory committee to discuss the situation and 
to decide on the management of the phytosan itary risk deriving from recent or earlier 
outbreaks of quarantine harmful organisms. A pl ant health panel with in the European Food 
Safety Authority can provide scientific justification or assessment of pest risks. 
The role of Research 
The EU is maintaining a constant effort on plan t health research within successive Framework 
Programmes for Research. In the 6th and 7th Framework Programmes, about 25 research 
projects are directly or indi rectly supporting the Community pl ant health regime and plant 
protection in general. These research projects  are tackling plant health issues following 
different angles such as the use of biocontrol agents, containment measures, plant resistance, 
sustainable use of plant protecti on products or more integrated ap proaches such as Integrated 
Pest Management (IPM). 
Some of them are world lead ers in their field such as ENDURE  (European Network for the 
Durable Exploitation of Crop Protection Strategies) or BIOEXPLOIT  (Exploitation of 
Natural Plant Biodiversity for the Pesticide-Free Production of Food). EUPHRESCO  is a 
successful so called ERA-NET , aiming at coordinating and in tegrating different national 
European phytosanitary research programmes.  
The intention is to maintain this research  effort in response to needs arising from 
globalisation, climate change and other drivers, in concertation between European institutions and services, national author ities, the research community and other stakeholders. 
4. C
ONCLUSIONS  
The White Paper on "Adapting to climate change : Towards a European framework for action" 
suggests increasing the resilience of health and social systems and underlines the need to 
ensure adequate surveillance and control of th e health impacts of climate change, such as 
epidemiological surveillance and the control of  communicable diseases or the effects of 
extreme events. In order to implement the actio ns foreseen in the Paper, the following steps 
for the health side will need to be given pr iority through the EU H ealth Programme, through 
the Community Animal Health Strategy and through existing legisl ation on Communicable 
Diseases, animal disease control and on plant health, and through the work plans of relevant 
agencies:  
• Development of guidance on surveillance , which will have to be matched by support for 
implementation and capacity development, such as microbiological support for food 
hazards detection and entomological knowledge and capacity It is expected that this 
guidance will eb praped by 2011. 
• Development of extreme weather health action plans  will need to be integrated into the 
preparedness planning of health authorities a nd services in order to  help Member States 
assess their health-related vulnerabilities to climate change and develop health-related 
adaptation strategies. 
• Strengthening of close co-operation between human animal and plant health services  
in the Commission and Member States and enha ncing in particular surveillance which will 
need to be further linked with knowledge a nd intelligence bases, such as meteorological 
 
EN 17   EN monitoring, entomological data, water quality re cords, air quality measures, remote sensing 
information, geology, population density a nd many other information sources across 
Europe; the value of such information has been amply demonstrated by the European 
Environment and Epidemiology network. 
• Reinforcing capacity to develop the modelling of health effects  as a function of extreme 
weather and obtaining the data to  define the needs for improved forecasting heat waves. 
• Reinforcement of public health policies and training , including effective surveillance 
and emergency response systems, and sustai nable prevention and control programmes.  
• Assessment of the effects of climate change on vulnerable social groups . 
• Further efforts towards identifying efficient health measures  and public health response, 
including the strengthening of emergency medical services, early warning, education and 
outreach to vulnerable population groups, and be tter accessibility to key determinants of 
health, such as clean water, energy and sanitati on. This aspect will be  included in the work 
on Health Inequality, which is  currently being developed. 
• International collaboration , in particular with agencies and international bodies such as 
the WHO, OIE and FAO, are an important dime nsion, as pointed out in the White Paper. 
Further work lies ahead, including: 
• Cooperating with the WHO  and within the WHO Framewor k for Action in the European 
Region and the WHA resolution on climate change and health complements the WHO 
actions within the territory of the EU. 
• Better integrating of surveillance  networks for animal diseases  by enhancing co-
operation with neighbouring countri es into a wider c ontext, such as in  the framework of 
the Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Cooperation with  third countries, in particular with the 
priority partner countries at the global le vel as well as with Enlargement and ENP 
countries at the European and regional leve ls. Further promotion of climate change 
preparedness assessments as an integral part of security assessments can be achieved by 
actively encouraging the nei ghbouring countries to conduct jo int actions, and to undertake 
the necessary work and measures, including the development of na tional strategies.  
• Stepping up animal disease surveillance and control  by fostering preventive measures 
as already envisaged by the Community An imal Health Strategy and improved data 
collection by means of the Animal Disease In formation System (ADIS). It will provide 
more detailed information on outbreaks of animal  diseases in Member States and be better 
aligned with international disease reporting systems, such as WAHIS (World Animal 
Health Information System) of the OIE (Wor ld Organisation for Animal Health) and the 
Crisis Management Centre (CMC) and th e Global Early Warning System (GLEWS). 
• Better integrating the Commission's work into th e broader context of su rveillance networks 
for animal diseases by enhancing co-operation with neighbouring countries , such as via 
the Euro-Mediterranean Union and the ENP and within the frame  of GF-TADS, the Global 
Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Diseases , established by the 
OIE and FAO (Food and Agri culture Organisation). 
 
EN 18   EN • Further aiming at ensuring a  co-ordinated approach in responding to animal disease 
outbreaks by proper implementation by Member States of contingency plans, 
preparedness, surveillance and preventive meas ures; the broad harmonisation of legislation 
on control measures and trade rules in relation to various infectious diseases - including 
those which may be impacted by climate cha nge - allows for extensive Community action. 
• Continuing to provide as appropriate, co-financing for surveillance, eradication and 
emergency vaccination depending on the disease situati on. The Commission is already 
strengthening its existing surveillance and early  detection systems in collaboration with 
Member States and expert groups in particular with respect to  vector-borne diseases, which 
are now either becoming more widespread or are appearing in previously unaffected areas 
of the EU territory. 
• As with human and animal health, the uncer tainty of global warming effects on crop 
production and forestry presupposes the need for a reliable  evaluation of the associated 
risks  for new introductions of quarantine harmful organisms, since any adverse 
consequences may affect not only food a nd feed safety, but also food security26. 
• Establish closer links between plan t health and environmental policy . Additional to the 
protection of agriculture and horticulture, the EU  is expected to safe guard the health of 
ecosystems, natural habitats, forests and the European landscape against foreign harmful organisms. 
• The evaluation of the existing Community  Plant Health legislative framework will 
consider how better preparedness can be achi eved for tackling new challenges, including 
the consequences of climate change.  
With the targeted Community policies in pl ace and by means of the review and, where 
necessary, the updating of relevant EU legisl ation, the health sector will be equipped to 
integrate within the proposed European framework for action. 
                                                
 
26 ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/meeting/013/ai785e.pdf