Global Health, Climate Change, and Emerging Infectious Diseases

Global Health, Climate Change, and Emerging Infectious Diseases explains how climate change contributes to the emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases, and to shifts in disease patterns and distribution. These changes disproportionately burden vulnerable populations—particularly in low-income countries, marginalized communities, and climate-sensitive regions—exacerbating existing health disparities and widening inequities in global health outcomes. This interconnectedness compels healthcare professionals to understand and address these dynamics, with special attention to the heightened risks faced by disadvantaged groups. The effects of climate change on human health are explained within the text, along with recommendations for equitable adaptation strategies, risk management efforts, and mitigation approaches that can be led by clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to reduce disparities and promote health equity.