Climate and Environmental Change Impacts on Health and Health Care--The Context of Food Insecurity, Conflict and Forced Migration

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental hazards due to climate change and other anthropogenic processes pose severe challenges for human health and health care systems. These hazards include droughts, flooding, sea level rise, storms, salinization, land degradation, and deforestation, among others, and often affect the most vulnerable populations. People’s health is at risk due to climate-driven violent conflicts and food insecurity, which are both drivers of voluntary and forced migration. In some regions, such as the Greater Horn of Africa, the scale of forced displacement is substantial, overburdening the displaced, host communities, aid organizations, and governments. The public health implications of the climate–food shortage–conflict–migration nexus are, however, still not well understood.

This Special Issue welcomes original and review articles that address health issues related to environmental and climate-induced violent conflict, food insecurity, and migration. Topics include but are not limited to:

• slow onset events (droughts, salinization, soil erosion);
• sudden onset events (floods, cyclones);
• environmental degradation;
• cross-border migration and forced displacement, internally displaced people;
• food and water insecurity, famine;
• mortality and morbidity, including infant and child health; epidemics;
• mental health; gender-based violence;
• violent conflicts;
• availability and quality of health care services;
• living conditions in refugee camps and informal settlements.