Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels not only makes the continent economically and politically vulnerable, but also has a dramatic impact on the health of its people. Increased air pollution, heat damage and the impending spread of climate-related infectious diseases warn in the Lancet Countdown Europe 2026 report on health and climate change, which co-directors Dr. Joasim Rockloff (Heidelberg University) and Dr. Kathryn Tong (Barcelona Institute for Global Health) are about to release to the public. Together with other experts from academia, practice and policy, we will discuss the report’s findings at a public event at Heidelberg University and compare current findings with successful measures to combat climate change and protect health. The launch event with live streaming is scheduled to take place on April 22, 2026.
Lancet Countdown Europe is an interdisciplinary research collaboration made up of 65 experts from research institutions and United Nations agencies. Established in 2021 as a regional center for the global Lancet Countdown, the collaboration tracks the relationship between health and climate change in Europe across five areas. These include health risks and impacts, adaptation and mitigation measures taken, economic and financial sectors, and climate change and health engagement across societal actors. The third European report, published in the journal Lancet Public Health, presents a total of 43 indicators.
”We clearly see that fossil fuel-driven climate change poses a growing threat to the health of a growing number of people in Europe.“Professor Rockloff emphasizes, but also adds that there are positive examples from climate action and health protection.”Many national and local steps are being taken to help contain the climate crisis and reduce its impact.”, the epidemiologist, mathematician and statistician is Alexander von Humboldt Professor at the University of Heidelberg, where he and the Heidelberg University Hospital conduct research on a number of large-scale projects on the effects of climate and environmental change on public health. Since 2024, he has been co-chairing the Lancet Countdown Europe collaboration with Professor Tong.
Dr. Michael Boutros, Dean of the Heidelberg School of Medicine at the University of Heidelberg, will open the event for the launch of the Lancet Countdown Europe 2026 Report on Health and Climate Change. Professor Rocklöv and Professor Tonne will then present the main results. Aleksandra Kazmierczak, Coordinator of the European Climate and Health Observatory and Climate and Health Expert at the European Environment Agency, and Francesca Racioppi, Director of the World Health Organization’s European Center for Environment and Health, will then give talks, highlighting some of the best practices in combating climate change and protecting health. Experts from the Robert Koch Institute (Germany), the Austrian Center for Climate and Health Competence, and the National Center de Santa (France) will comment on the findings and report on how countries have responded to, for example, the rapidly increasing number of cases of climate-related infectious diseases in recent years. Panel discussions with federal, state, and local policymakers will focus on how climate action and health protection measures can be effectively implemented.
The April 22nd event will be held in the Old University Hall (Gravengasse 1, Heidelberg) and will also be livestreamed from 1pm. We are also looking for people who are interested. Attendees in the Great Hall must be seated by 12:45 p.m. The launch event will be held in English, with simultaneous translation into German for those attending in person. Participation requires registration, both in person and online, at https://pretix.eu/uni-heidelberg/lcde-rp-2026.
