[Interpretation of the "Guidelines for public health adaptation actions to climate change"]

Abstract

In recent years, the situation of climate change has intensified, posing a threat to public health. There is an urgent need to promote public health adaptation actions to climate change. In January 2025, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration issued the "Guidelines for Public Health Adaptation Actions to Climate Change" (hereinafter referred to as the "Guidelines"). The Guidelines put forward 20 items of guidance on six categories of public health adaptation actions, including understanding basic concepts, comprehending important policies, learning core knowledge, paying attention to key populations, practicing a low-carbon lifestyle, and mastering protection skills. It elaborates on the key concepts and the latest policies that the public needs to understand, and also provides the behavioral concepts and protection skills that should be mastered to adapt to climate change. This article provides a systematic interpretation of the Guidelines, introducing the background, ideas, connotations, and applications of their compilation, with the aim of enhancing society's cognitive understanding of the Guidelines.