The Lancet Planetary Health, 21 July 2025

A call for evidence-based adaptation: mitigating the rising global health burden of extreme heat

Climate mitigation efforts are essential to avoid the worst effects of climate change; however, historical greenhouse gas emissions have already committed us to ongoing climate changes in the coming decades. Therefore, we need to adapt to unavoidable climatic changes while ramping up decarbonisation efforts.

The global emphasis on health adaptation to climate change has intensified. In May, 2025, the World Health Assembly adopted the Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health, articulating the overall objective of advancing adaptation strategies to mitigate health risks. The resolution also highlighted the need for drawing upon both scientific research and experiential knowledge to elucidate the associations among climate change, response measures, and health outcomes. Strengthening the integration of scientific and traditional evidence is essential to establish a robust knowledge foundation. Despite increased international focus, methodological and evidentiary gaps remain, particularly with respect to guiding effective heat adaptation strategies. To address these gaps, a collection of papers have been reviewed to focus on the pressing need for actionable insights and evidence-based approaches.