There is need to raise visibility of climate impact on health

Climate change is not a distant threat—it is already here. Rising temperatures, more frequent and severe droughts and floods, and rapidly degrading soil health, pose a significant threat to livelihoods, human wellbeing and ecological systems, particularly in the dryland regions.

In arid and semi-arid areas, vulnerable groups, particularly children under five, women of reproductive age, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and those with mental health issues are disproportionately affected, with climate change exacerbating existing inequalities. Health experts warn this climate crisis could pave the way for new diseases, potentially resulting in an estimated 24.5 million deaths by 2050.

Reports from the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change (2021) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment highlight the direct links between human-induced climate change and health (morbidity and mortality), although specific health impacts remain under quantified, primarily due to limited attribution studies and data gaps, thus inertia around climate action.

Addressing these challenges requires integrating health and nutrition considerations into climate action and prioritising vulnerable populations in policy discussions. The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), with financial support from the Wellcome, is working with a consortium of partners to enhance understanding of the linkages, increase the visibility of climate impacts on health, and catalyse appropriate policy and practice change at scale in East Africa through the “Visibilizing climate change impacts on nutrition and mental health among vulnerable populations in East African drylands” project.

This project focuses on raising awareness of climate change's health impacts through research, community engagement, and policy advocacy. Participatory research methods and community engagement will be used to document these lived experiences, ensuring that community voices inform our research and advocacy.

Spotlighting climate-related mental health issues is also at the heart of this study. The Kenya National Adolescent Mental Health Survey revealed that 44.3 per cent of adolescents are experiencing mental health issues, often tied to climate-related stressors. However, the linkage between these mental health challenges and climate change remains under-explored—an oversight we aim to address.

A critical methodology in this project is Attribution Science, where we analyse historical climate, ecological, and nutritional data to quantify how climate change impacts crop diversity and yields, consequently affecting nutritional status.

Additionally, we will estimate future food availability under various scenarios of agroecological climate adaptation compared to a baseline scenario of no change. The data, modeled on a synthetic population of Kenya, will estimate health impacts from changes in food availability.

The #Visibilize4ClimateAction project study aligns closely with Kenya’s National Climate Change Action Plans and the Paris Agreement. It aims to enhance bold climate solutions, including agroforestry, agroecological practices, and other community-driven mitigation and adaptation measures.

As COP30 in Belém approaches, Kenya has the opportunity to lead by example by translating its commitments into action.

Dr Karanja is Associate Research Scientist; Nutrition and Food Systems, APHRC.  Mr Mwalia is Policy Engagement and Communications officer, APHRC. Mr Mawia is Policy Engagement and Communications officer, APHRC