Training Institute on Climate and Health: Mercosur Experience

Abstract

A key component of adapting to climate change and variability is the creation of a new generation of professionals able to understand the role of climate on disease and to quantify its risk in public health. Capacity building in different regions of the globe will help strengthen the decisions made in the health sector and is reflected in the reduction of climate risk. The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), the InterAmerican Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the Ministry of Public Health of Uruguay, the Intergovernmental Commission for Environmental and Occupational Health of (CISAT), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) joined forces to organize the first regional Training Institute on Climate and Health based on the curriculum on climate information for public health developed and implemented worldwide by the IRI. Participants from member countries of Mercosur region were trained for 2 weeks and regional working teams made up of climate and health professionals were formed and presented research projects to address climate sensitive issues on health in response to the objectives of the Mercosur Action Strategy to Protect Human Health effects of Climate Change. Projects were meant to strengthen and build regional networks of cooperation and participants were able to practically apply the knowledge and tools provided by the course to address relevant topics. A lot of knowledge remains to be built in climate and public health and the field efficiency of the new approaches implemented is yet to be assessed. It is critical to continue training professionals and to provide spaces for networking and also to create collaborative programs that allow professionals from different institutions, sectors and disciplines to communicate and share their expertise to tackle climate risk.