Climate change and health

• Main Authors: Kuruppu, Natasha, Capon, Anthony G.
• Language: unknown
• Published: Elsevier 2016
• Subjects: Pacific; inuit
• Online Access: http://collections.unu.edu/view/UNU:5829

The report of the 2015 Lancet Commission on Health and Climate Change is timely and welcome, particularly because of the emphasis on the health benefits of transition to sustainable ways of living. However, there is little in the report on the potential role of indigenous and local knowledge in both adaptation and mitigation responses for human health. This lack of attention is not confined to the health sector, and has been observed in other societal sectors that are the target of adaptation and mitigation efforts. Indigenous and local knowledge is the understanding, innovations, and practices of indigenous and local communities that have developed from experiences gained over the centuries and adapted to the local culture and environment. Many of the effects of climate change will be felt by communities in developing countries and indigenous communities on the margins of society. In these contexts, indigenous and local knowledge can certainly be used to provide benefits for human health. For example, in Pacific Island countries, agricultural practices based on indigenous and local knowledge, including crop diversification and food preservation, have been used as a strategy to ensure food security and enhance nutrition under climate change and variability. In north African countries, architectural designs based on indigenous and local knowledge have been used to adapt to heat stress and to conserve energy in urban settlements, and in Canadian Inuit communities, indigenous and local knowledge has been used to read changing weather and snow patterns, and thereby moderate climate-related health risks from hunting practices. There is a pressing need for further attention to the role of indigenous and local knowledge in climate change responses.