Component 2: Climate-smart health workforce

Health systems rely on an adequately trained workforce within an organizational structure that allows for effective the identification, prevention and management health risks. Development of professional and technical capacities, specifically for climate change and health, should support and build upon competencies in health policy and management, research and analysis, healthcare and public health service delivery. Technical and professional capacity of health staff can be improved through development opportunities including training, education, and mentoring.

It is also strategically important to develop organizational capacity, which refers to the availability of sufficient financial, technical and human resources to implement climate change and health actions for resilience and low carbon sustainability. Building institutional capacities of health systems, including the ability to partner with other actors and stakeholders (e.g. community groups and media and health-determining sectors), is also important for enhancing the preparedness and planning of responses to climate risks.

Strategies to enhance governance and collaboration include developing training courses for health professionals on climate change health; integrating curricula on climate change and health at secondary and/or tertiary levels; and implementing internal and external health communication strategies and plans to raise awareness of health and climate change for key audiences (e.g. health professionals and decision-makers, communities, and media).

For more information on the objectives, sample outputs and indicators for climate-smart health workforce, see the WHO Operational Framework for building climate-resilient and low carbon health systems (under resources).