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As climate change continues to reshape global health landscapes, Europe finds itself grappling with health challenges traditionally associated with tropical regions. Diseases like dengue and malaria, previously rare on the continent, are becoming increasingly common, while heat waves, air pollution, and bacteria-infested shellfish pose additional threats to public health. This shift has highlighted an urgent need for European medical curricula to adapt, equipping future doctors with the knowledge to address these evolving challenges.
Yet, despite the clear link between climate and health, most European medical schools do not systematically cover this crucial topic. Training often depends on faculty members’ expertise or student-driven initiatives, leaving many future healthcare professionals underprepared to deal with the rising health implications of climate change.
Recognizing this gap, the newly launched European Network on Climate and Health Education (ENCHE) seeks to revolutionize medical education across the continent. Supported by the World Health Organization and major healthcare providers, ENCHE offers a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to teaching medical students about the intersection of climate change and health.
Climate’s Impact on European Health Systems
“The north of Europe is becoming warmer and wetter, the south of Europe is becoming warmer and drier, and Europe is now the fastest-warming continent in the world,” explained Dr. Ana Rakovac, a consultant chemical pathologist and internal medicine physician at Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin. Rising temperatures and increased air pollution are exacerbating infectious diseases, chronic illnesses, and respiratory conditions, creating immense strain on health systems already stretched thin.
Dr. Rakovac noted that European doctors need to broaden their diagnostic approaches. In southern Italy and France, for example, there were over 130 cases of locally acquired dengue reported last year. She emphasized that physicians must now consider diseases like dengue and malaria—once limited to tropical regions—in their differential diagnoses for patients who have not traveled beyond Europe.
Medical Education Must Adapt
Final-year medical student Anthony Goodings from Ireland shared his experience with minimal coverage of climate-related health issues in his curriculum. He believes ENCHE’s initiative is vital for ensuring all medical schools adopt a comprehensive approach to teaching climate change’s impact on health.
ENCHE, founded by 25 leading medical schools in countries such as Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, aims to fill this educational gap. In the first three years, it plans to train 10,000 medical students with the latest scientific insights to help them recognize, prevent, and treat the health consequences of climate change. It also promotes sustainable practices in healthcare, encouraging doctors to contribute to the decarbonization of the medical sector.
Goodings, who also serves as a student officer for Irish Doctors for the Environment, believes that integrating climate-related education into medical curricula will significantly improve future healthcare professionals’ preparedness. “We learn about treatments and side effects, but not about the environmental impact of those treatments,” he noted, highlighting the carbon emissions of different anesthetic gases as an example.
Collaborative Efforts for Comprehensive Education
ENCHE is chaired by the University of Glasgow and will serve as a regional hub for the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Camille Huser, PhD, deputy head of undergraduate medical school (biosciences) at the University of Glasgow, stressed the importance of preparing future doctors to address climate-related health issues and practice sustainably.
Huser emphasized that collaboration among ENCHE’s member schools will accelerate the development of best practices for teaching and assessing climate and health in medical education. The network will also support campaigns to integrate climate-related health issues into national medical curricula.
A Holistic Approach to Healthcare and Sustainability
Beyond medical education, the health sector itself contributes significantly to climate change. In high-income countries, healthcare accounts for around 5% of greenhouse gas emissions, with reliance on single-use items, excessive waste, and resource-intensive procedures adding to the problem. ENCHE aims to teach medical students how to practice more sustainably, ultimately fostering a virtuous cycle of improved health and reduced environmental impact.
Professor Colin Doherty, head of the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin, welcomed the opportunity to be part of ENCHE, noting that many European medical educators had been working in silos on this issue. He emphasized the importance of embedding climate education throughout the curriculum, not treating it as a standalone module.
Doherty added that this initiative should also involve public input. “This should be citizen-led,” he said, encouraging collaboration between healthcare educators and the general public to ensure that future doctors are equipped with the knowledge and skills to address climate-related health challenges.
Looking Ahead
The ENCHE initiative offers a promising path forward, ensuring that Europe’s future doctors are well-equipped to navigate the intersection of climate change and public health. As the continent continues to experience the profound effects of a warming world, this shift in medical education is not only necessary but urgent.
