The impact of climate change on public health
Thursday 28 May
08:40 – 09:10
Climate change poses diverse health threats: heat-related illness, extreme weather injuries, air pollution, and infectious diseases linked to ecological shifts. Food and water insecurity heightens malnutrition and diarrheal risks, while environmental degradation fuels migration, conflict, and mental health challenges. Case studies highlight urgent needs for adaptive, equity-focused interventions. Early warning systems enable timely alerts and actionable guidance, protecting vulnerable populations. Public health strategies must innovate and prioritize inclusivity to mitigate escalating climate-driven health impacts.
Jan Semenza
Jan C. Semenza is an environmental epidemiologist with over 30 years of experience in climate change and health research. He led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) response to the 1995 Chicago heat wave, where more than 700 people died, and his work laid the foundation for heat–health action plans and early warning systems.
As Head of the Scientific Assessment Section at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), he led work on infectious diseases and climate change and developed climate-based early warning systems. He has published extensively on climate-driven vector-, water-, and foodborne diseases.
He is a lead author of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, a co-author of the Lancet Countdown reports, and leads the European Lancet Countdown adaptation working group. He is currently affiliated with Umeå University, Sweden, and Heidelberg University, Germany.
CONGRESS SECRETARIAT
Meetx is the congress bureau handling the congress secretariat for NCGP 2026.
E-mail: ncgp2026@meetx.se
IMPORTANT DATES
Abstract
Call for abstracts opens: September 2025
Extended submission deadline: December 18, 2025
Notification: February 12, 2026
Registration
Early bird deadline: February 25, 2026
Registration closes: May 15, 2026