German status report on climate change and health 2023

This report provides an overview of the health impacts of climate change in Germany and ways to counteract them. More heat-related deaths, new and increasing infectious diseases, increased exposure to allergens, a rise in antibiotic resistance, more lung diseases as a result of increasing air pollution, more skin cancer due to increased UV radiation - these are some of the negative consequences of climate change for public health.

The first issue focuses on the impact of climate change on infectious diseases. Topics include vector- and rodent-borne infections, waterborne infections and intoxications, foodborne infections and intoxications, and antibiotic resistance. An introductory article outlines the field of climate change and health. The second issue of the report, due to be published in the third quarter of 2023, focuses on non-communicable diseases that can be caused by heat and other extreme weather events such as floods, on the influence of climate change on allergic diseases, the consequences of altered UV radiation or higher air pollution levels, and the impact of climate change on mental health. The third issue, which will be published in the fourth quarter of 2023, examines health equity with regard to the effects of climate change, the importance of target group-specific communication on climate change and highlights the need for action based on the recommendations formulated in the preceding articles.