Key issues
Data have been collated to identify the following key issues in North Tyneside:
- Changing weather conditions - Climate change will alter the average weather conditions seen in North Tyneside by 2080. North Tyneside will see drier, hotter summers and wetter, warmer winters.
- Increasing climate-related hazards - Altered weather conditions locally will result in an increase in hazards occurring (heatwaves, wildfires, poor air quality, flooding, coastal erosion). These hazards may threaten local and global water supplies, food production, local infrastructure, supply chains and our health and wellbeing.
- Changing health impacts – Climate-related hazards have the potential to impact residents’ health, directly and indirectly in numerous ways. This JSNA outlines the health risks associated with climate change.
- Importance of aligning health and climate - There are potential cobenefits for residents’ health if carbon net zero mitigation interventions are aligned to health plans.
- Increased inequalities - Both direct health impacts and potential cobenefits are unlikely to affect the population equally. There is the potential for existing health inequalities to be widened if there is not a greater understanding of how health intersects with climate change.
High Level Priorities
- Reduce the potential negative health impacts of climate change with particular focus on vulnerable groups
- Ensure that the UKHSA Adverse Weather and Health Plan is adopted locally, with localised monitoring as recommended by the UKHSA.
- Local implementation of the Hot weather and health guidance and Cold weather and health guidance.
- Ensure that all local adverse weather and hazard plans consider the full range of potential health impacts and vulnerable populations.
- Local implementation of the DEFRA Air quality strategy with regular reviews of Air Quality Action Plans and of the local Air Quality Strategy.
- Consideration of how health co-benefits could be encouraged within climate change mitigation and adaptation plans, such as the Council’s Carbon Net Zero Action Plan.
- Highlight climate change benefits in related strategies, such as the physical activity strategy.