JRF have published two new reports that look at addressing the health effects of climate change. The first examines how local authorities and their partners are responding to the public health consequences of climate change; the second at the risks of overheating in the care sector. Public health in a changing climate, by the New Economics Foundation, suggests that local authorities and their partners need to increase their focus on early action to address climate change and recommends the development of evaluation guidance, good practice sharing and knowledge and capacity building at the national level. Care provision fit for a future climate, from Oxford Brookes University and the Universities of Manchester and Lancaster, is one of the first studies to examine the risks of overheating in the UK care sector. It found that there are already overheating risks in care homes today, which will be exacerbated by climate change. It recommends that designers, development teams, care home managers and staff need to recognise that excessive heat as well as cold can be a health risk. It also recommends enhanced regulations, standards and guidance from key national health and care bodies and central Government. For more information about this research, please contact Katharine Knox, Policy and Research Manager. JRF will be discussing their learning and suggestions at an event on 5 July in Leeds on Building climate resilience in health and social care. Find out more information, email events@jrf.org.uk.
