The WHS Academic Alliance and The Lancet launched a joint Commission on Health, Migration, and Climate Change, co-chaired by Luciano Saso and Stephen Matlin, in 2024. The Commission will work through 2025 and 2026, with plans to present its findings and recommendations at the World Health Summit in 2026.
Climate change is the greatest health threat of the 21st century, with global impacts that drive and intensify migration. It exacerbates health risks, disrupts healthcare access, and worsens social determinants of health. Acting as a multiplier, climate change amplifies drivers of displacement such as resource scarcity, food insecurity, extreme weather, and habitat destruction. Migrants face distinct challenges, including legal uncertainties, cultural losses, and health vulnerabilities. While migration can foster resilience, framing it solely as an adaptation strategy risks restrictive policies. Addressing these interconnected issues requires a holistic approach, balancing immediate health needs with long-term integration and equity-focused strategies.
Europe is both a significant destination for migrants and a region grappling with its own climate challenges. This dual role creates a unique context for addressing the climate-migration-health nexus. European countries must manage the health needs of migrants while adapting to the accelerating impacts of climate change. The Commission will explore these issues across host and origin countries, identifying barriers, opportunities, and solutions within Europe’s institutional frameworks.
Thematic focus areas of the commission:
Global context: health, migration, and climate change (WHO-led).
Climate change impacts on migration patterns to and within Europe.
Health needs of migrants in Europe amidst climate change.
European responses using a social determinants of health approach.
)