Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies in the United Kingdom

This study examines the integration of climate and health policies in the United Kingdom based on 42 expert interviews. Despite widespread acknowledgment of the growing significance of climate change impacts on human health, practical policy integration remains limited due to siloed decision-making, resource constraints, and short-term thinking, amongst other issues. Opportunities for improvement include emphasizing co-benefits, leveraging the scale of the NHS, and learning from approaches in the devolved governments. Strategies to deliver improved policies and outcomes involve enhanced cross-sector coordination, dedicated resources, development and use of fit-for-purpose evidence, and community engagement. A better resourced, holistic approach addressing wider health determinants and prioritising vulnerable populations could significantly improve UK climate and health policy outputs and outcomes.