Mr. Joji Sugawara, Vice President of Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), participated in a joint international policy workshop entitled “Improving the resilience of health and public health systems to the impact of climate change: learning between Japan and the UK” which was organized by the UK Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) last October 16-17, 2024 in London.

Recent environmental disasters have exposed the vulnerabilities of our health systems, with impacts that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. As climate change intensifies, the frequency and severity of these disasters are expected to escalate, further straining our existing health infrastructures. To build resilience against these challenges, the workshop aimed to facilitate knowledge and best practices sharing between multisector experts in Japan and in the UK, as well as to provide an avenue for international collaboration on these issues.

The workshop was represented by individuals from the academe, research, and policy space from both Japan and the UK. During the event, participants discussed the state of current health systems in both Japan and the UK, then examined specific examples that could inform the development of more resilient health and public health systems. They also explored key evidence gaps, priorities, and challenges in the field while ensuring that health inequalities are reduced in the context of planetary health.

During his presentation, Mr. Sugawara discussed the challenges and opportunities within Japan’s health and public health systems. He highlighted the evolving landscape of health policy in Japan, which now involves greater collaboration between the government and civic groups to respond to these emerging issues. Particularly, the role of multistakeholder involvement was emphasized as a step towards informing policy development as well as impact assessment.

The workshop ended with a consensus building among the attendees, fostering a shared understanding and strategies for future collaboration. Through a multistakeholder and evidence-based approach, HGPI remains committed to addressing the challenges posed by climate change and its impact on human health and health systems.