In 2008, the World Health Organisation (WHO) published “Heat-Health Action Plans”, a guidance book on developing and implementing heat-health action plans. The publication explains the characteristics and core elements of heat-health action plans, providing several examples of European countries that have begun their implementation and evaluation.

The book results from the EuroHEAT project on improving health responses to extreme weather/ heat-waves, co-funded by the European Commission and coordinated by the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Hot weather and heat-waves can have severe health effects. The 2003 heat-wave in Europe resulted in an estimated 70,000 premature deaths. However, such adverse health effects are largely preventable.

According to “Heat Health Action Plans” taking effective action requires a portfolio of actions at different levels, including meteorological early warning systems, timely public and medical advice, improvements to housing and urban planning and ensuring that health care and social systems are ready to act.

Key elements of a successful action plan include:
  Agreement on a lead body (to coordinate a multipurpose collaborative mechanism between bodies and institutions and to direct the response if an emergency occurs);
  Accurate and timely alert systems (heat-health warning systems trigger warnings, determine the threshold for action and communicate the risks);
  A heat-related health information plan (about what is communicated, to whom and when);
  A reduction in indoor heat exposure (medium- and short-term strategies) (advice on how to keep indoor temperatures low during heat episodes);
  Particular care for vulnerable population groups.

More information from the WHO on heat-waves can be found here.