Skip to content

Governing for a Healthy Population: Towards an Understanding of How Decision-Making Will Determine Our Global Health in a Changing Climate

Bowen, Kathryn J, Sharon Friel, Kristie Ebi, Colin D. Butler, Fiona Miller and Anthony J. McMichael. 2012. Governing for a Healthy Population: Towards an Understanding of How Decision-Making Will Determine Our Global Health in a Changing Climate. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 9: 55-72.

Abstract

Enhancing the adaptive capacity of individuals, communities, institutions and nations is pivotal to protecting and improving human health and well-being in the face of systemic social inequity plus dangerous climate change. However, research on the determinants of adaptive capacity in relation to health, particularly concerning the role of governance, is in its infancy. This paper highlights the intersections between global health, climate change and governance. It presents an overview of these key concerns, their relation to each other, and the potential that a greater understanding of governance may present opportunities to strengthen policy and action responses to the health effects of climate change. Important parallels between addressing health inequities and sustainable development practices in the face of global environmental change are also highlighted. We propose that governance can be investigated through two key lenses within the earth system governance theoretical framework; agency and architecture. These two governance concepts can be evaluated using methods of social network research and policy analysis using case studies and is the subject of further research.

Keywords: global health; climate change; adaptive capacity; equity; governance; decision-making

You might like these publication categories

Recent publications

2023 Annual Report

We are pleased to announce the release of the Earth System Governance Project 2023 Annual Report, which highlights a year of…

Earth System Governance – Volume 22 (In Progress)

We are delighted to present the twenty-second volume of Earth System Governance, the open-access journal for all those interested in…

Earth System Governance – Volume 21

We are delighted to present the twenty-first volume of Earth System Governance, the open-access journal for all those interested in…