Climate and health, The Lancet publishes Ca’ Foscari’s research for the G7

Can the scientific world positively influence political decision makers when discussing the impact of the climate on health?

The Lancet, the renowned weekly medicine magazine, published a report about how the Ca’ Foscari team, alongside the Italian President, have influenced the decisions made at the G7 Health Ministerial Meeting held in Milan last November, representing the voice of hundreds of international experts.

“For the first time in a meeting with such prestige,” explained professor Stefano Campostrini, author of the article and report of The Lancet, approved by Ranieri Guerra, the current Assistant Director-General of the National World Health Organisation, “we are dealing with health aspects related to the environment, their modifications have been addressed and concrete commitments have been made in this regard”.

Through appropriate methods, the researchers contacted more than 700 international experts in order to launch discussions and indicate the principal priorities to be discussed in the G7 meeting.

As reported by the Lancet, these mainly correlate with coordination and research actions on antibiotic resistance; water quality and systems; on vaccinations (especially where migration is highest); strengthening surveillance systems (also in relation to the spread of new infectious disease vectors); reduction of emissions (both for aspects directly related to health-quality of the area, and for indirect effects and co-benefits).