Climate suitability for disease transmission has increased for some diseases including dengue, malaria and cholera. A changing climate is aggravating the negative health impacts of several infectious diseases by broadening the range of vectors that spreads them. It also lengthens the season in which mosquitos reproduce and transmit the disease, thereby increasing the number of people at risk.

Jan Semenza, Head of the Health Determinants Programme, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will give an overview of the most concerning climate sensitive infectious diseases in Europe. He will also touch upon the health intervention that ECDC has already put in place to minimise the impacts on people’s health. Finally, he will also discuss the short- and long-term goals of the recently established European Climate and Health Observatory, which primary aim is to “to support Europe in preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change on human health”.