Development of Evidence-based Health Policy Response to Climate Change

Abstract

전 세계는 지구온난화의 영향을 받고 있고, 이에 맞추어 기후변화 대응도 점차 적극적으로 변하고 있다. 이제 우리나라에서도 기후변화는 피할 수 없는 중대한 사회적 부담으로 다가오고 있다. 따라서 기후변화 대응을 위한 보건 분야의 거버넌스와 대응역량을 강화하기 위해 실효성 있는 정책 방안이 논의될 필요가 있다. 본 연구는 기후변화로 인한 건강영향에 대응하기 위한 정책 과정 단계별 국내 근거를 분석하여, 향후 과학적 근거 개발을 위해 개선해야 할 부분을 도출하였다. 정책 수요자 측면에서 기후변화 대응 역량 강화에 대한 수요를 평가하였으며, 정책 제공자 측면에서는 기후변화 정책과 사업의 제공 실태를 파악하여 기후변화 적응을 위한 국가의 정책 방향을 제안하고 있다.

Climate change affects health through various pathways, and the impact of climate change on health is a considerable social burden in Korea. However, climate change adaptation has not been addressed as a major policy priority. Conducted to develop evidence-based health policy response to climate change, this study can be summarized as follows. First, we reviewed existing scientific evidence concerning adaptation to the health impacts of climate change in different stages of policy process. A meta-analysis, systematic review and scoping review was conducted. Much of existing literature on climate change adaptation concerned agenda-setting stage, but the issues that need to be improved to build future scientific evidence were confirmed. Second, we surveyed public perception of climate change and related health issues as a way to better understand the need for policy response to climate change. Our findings suggest that the government should deliver accurate information to ensure that the perception the public has of climate change and related health issues is evidence-based and objective. Finally, we examined the status of policy interventions concerning climate change from the perspective of policy providers. The final suggestion is that the government should explore the core areas based on the rationale and demand, and the policy process should be systematically organized.