Climate Sensitive Adaptation in Health: Imperatives for India in a Developing Economy Context
by Purnamita Dasgupta. Springer, 2016, hardback, ISBN: 9788132228226.About the Book
The book provides a conceptual framework for health sector adaptation within the socioeconomic context of low- and middle-income countries focusing on sustainable development The book assesses critically the level of preparedness and the capacity of health care facilities to respond to threats from climatic change, and makes suggestions for the road ahead. Draws upon the existing evidence on climate sensitivity to diseases and their management, to identify the key opportunities for building climate resilience.
This book focuses on the risks that climate change poses for the health sector. It discusses the current vulnerabilities to climate-sensitive diseases, the resultant mortality and morbidity in human populations, the projected risks in connection with increasing global warming, and the options for tackling the adverse impacts of climate change. Adapting to climate change so as to effectively address the risks for and adverse impacts on the health sector requires an in-depth understanding of current deficits in health sector preparedness for climate-sensitive illnesses, as well as future plans and programs for increasing adaptive capacity and building resilience.
The book situates climate and health adaptation concerns in the broader context of developing countries, providing insights that can be useful for other countries as well, helping them further their health adaptation efforts. In India, poverty and inadequate access to basic water, health and sanitation services combine with climate-related events to adversely impact health outcomes. Three case studies on the occurrence of heat stress, flooding, and extreme cyclonic events in India are presented along with a critical assessment of the level of preparedness and capacity of healthcare facilities to respond to the threats posed by climate change. The book presents the key challenges faced in reducing the risks posed to the health sector by climatic factors, and highlights the most important opportunities for promoting resilience and adaptation to achieve sustainable development.
About the Author
Purnamita Dasgupta is Ford Foundation Chair in Environmental Economics and Acting Head, Environmental and Resource Economics Unit of the Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, India. She has also served as visiting professor at institutes such as the University of Cambridge (UK), Carey Business School of Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, USA), and the University of Calcutta (Kolkata, India). She obtained her PhD from the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her areas of research interest include environmental and natural resource economics, health economics, development economics, and research methods. Having published articles in respected journals, she has also been involved with several macro and micro level economic studies for assessing the contribution of ecosystem services in various decision-making contexts. She is a member of many advisory and scientific committees related to environment and climate change. She has been a Coordinating Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a member of its Summary for Policymakers and Synthesis Report writing teams, and the IPCC's Scientific Steering Group on Economic Valuation, Costing and Ethics. She has been associated with several national and international assessments and research initiatives. Her national contributions include research under programs for India's National Communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, greenhouse gas emissions modeling for India's Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, drafting of legislation on electronic waste in India, and the Expert committee to evolve environmental standards in India, among others.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Climate Risks in the Health SectorDeveloping Economy Context for Adaptation Decision-MakingUnderstanding Associations: Health, Socio-economic Wellbeing and ClimateAnalysing the Interface in Indian Plans and PoliciesCriticality of the Field: Three Case StudiesConclusion: Integrating Sustainable Development and Health Adaptation
