Climate, Heat, and the impacts on Maternal and Child Health in Africa

Average global temperature has increased by 1.1°C (0.8°C to 1.3°C) since 1880. The majority of warming has occurred since 1975, at a rate of 0.2°C (0.1°C to 0.3°C) per decade. Nine of the ten hottest years on record have occurred in the last decade. In 2019, atmospheric CO2 concentrations were higher than at any time in the past 2 million years (IPCC 6th Assessment Report 2021. Rising temperatures and extreme heat events will adversely affect maternal and child health through a range of impacts: Direct effects on health and well-being Changes in behavior, including infant feeding practices Climate change is already having a substantial impact in Africa By 2050, many regions of Africa will experience climates not currently observed anywhere on Earth (Bastin et al., 2019) Health services need to develop appropriate strategies to address the impacts of heat Need for feasible and culturally acceptable interventions Need for capacity strengthening in environmental public health