World Health Organization officials have announced a new initiative to address the health impacts of climate change on small island developing states. The global health body called for a tripling of international support for those nations' health systems and for more evidence on the link between climate change and health.

The initiative, launched over the weekend at the 23rd Conference of Parties, or COP23, is focused specifically on small islands whose health systems often have difficulty grappling with the impacts of major climate events.

That can be anything from drinking water that becomes contaminated during a hurricane or flood, to infectious diseases that spread among people who are displaced, to malnutrition caused by changing agricultural patterns. Between 2030 and 2050, the WHO predicts that climate change could be responsible for roughly 250,000 additional deaths per year.

In addition to increased funding and evidence, the four-part initiative calls for the amplification of the voices of health leaders from small island developing nations and the promotion of health policies to improve preparedness for catastrophic climate events.

Read the full article about WHO's initiative to address climate change's impact on health by Andrew Green at Devex International Development.