Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe is proud to announce the launch of the Practical Guide for Building Climate-Resilient Health Systems, a comprehensive resource designed to help healthcare systems across Europe strengthen their resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Developed as part of the LIFE RESYSTAL project, co-funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Commission, this flagship publication offers a roadmap for integrating climate resilience into healthcare planning. As climate change increasingly disrupts communities and healthcare systems, the Guide provides the critical steps healthcare systems must take to adapt and protect the health and well-being of European populations.
The case for climate resilience
As Europe is the fastest-warming continent, it is projected that by 2100, up to 1,040 hospitals in Europe will be at high risk of total or partial shutdown due to extreme weather. Additionally, 11% of European healthcare facilities are located in flood-prone areas, making them particularly vulnerable to damage and disruption. Climate-related hazards like heatwaves, floods, and wildfires place increasing demands on healthcare infrastructure, with direct impacts on facilities, surges in illness types, and indirect effects such as utility disruptions, staff shortages, and declining workforce well-being.
"Building climate resilience is an imperative for healthcare systems today. This guide equips healthcare leaders with actionable strategies to safeguard their operations and ensure they can continue delivering care in a changing climate. It’s designed to help health systems navigate the complexities of climate preparedness.” – Gabriella Abruzzo, Climate Projects Officer at HCWH Europe and author of the Practical Guide
Key features of the Guide:
- Insights from pilot health systems within the LIFE RESYSTAL project, offering real-world examples of resilience in action.
- A step-by-step framework for creating Climate Resilience Plans, tailored to healthcare organisations of all sizes and structures.
- Practical strategies to assess and enhance a system's climate resilience capacity, ensuring preparedness for future challenges.
The Practical Guide for Building Climate-Resilient Health Systems was officially launched during HCWH Europe’s webinar, Championing Healthcare Climate Resilience in Europe. The event brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers, and climate resilience experts, to discuss how to meet the urgent need for resilience planning and policy and share best practices. A recording will be available on the event page soon.
This Guide is your essential resource for building climate resilience in healthcare. While designed primarily for health system managers, it’s also a powerful tool for policymakers, local authorities, insurance providers, medical product suppliers, and healthcare professionals committed to driving change. Take action today— download the Guide and lead the charge in strengthening Europe’s healthcare climate resilience.
This project has received funding from the LIFE programme, the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action, under grant agreement LIFE20 CCA/GR/001787. HCWH Europe is solely responsible for this content and related materials. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official views of the EU or CINEA, who cannot be held responsible for them.