1 July 2015: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly published a report titled ‘Heatwaves and Health: Guidance on Warning-System Development.’ The report focuses on warning systems to address health risks posed by heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change.

Part of the WMO and WHO joint action on climate and health under the auspices of the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), the publication aims to improve the provision and use of climate services, such as heat-health warnings.

According to the report, heat-related health risks can be reduced through systematic development of heatwave early warning systems, which provide information on the likelihood of forthcoming hot weather that may have an effect on health. This information can be used to alert decision makers, health services and the general public to take timely action to reduce the effects of hot weather on health.

The report consists of nine chapters on, inter alia: impacts of heat on health, and factors that increase the risk of heat-related illness and death; heat stress assessment; definition of, and methodology for, heat-health warning systems; communicating heat-health warnings and heat-related information to stakeholders and the public; intervention strategies; health warnings and health-protection measures evaluation; planning for heat events at the intra-seasonal to seasonal scale; and longer-term initiatives for managing heatwaves and health.

The guidance will inform discussions at the Workshop on the Development of Climate Information Systems for Heat Health Early Warning: Assessing Knowledge, Needs and the Path Forward, scheduled to take place in Chicago, US, from 28-30 July 2015. The Workshop will aim to explore best practices and lessons learned to develop climate information systems for heat health early warning. [Publication: Heatwaves and Health: Guidance on Warning-System Development] [WMO Press Release]