Conclusions and Recommendations The study offers the following three key messages. First, planning and implementing adaptation investments in the health sector is a significant component of an overall climate change adaptation strategy. To a large extent it remains an approach based on reacting to an increase in the health impacts of climate change, as opposed to preventing such increases. Sectors from which prevention of those health impacts can take place are water, agriculture, and management of disasters. A climate change adaptation strategy that focuses on preventing the projected health impacts of climate change is likely to be more effective in the short, medium, and long terms (with regard to both impacts and costs) than a strategy that is reactive. Second, complementing the above message, health benefits of adaptation investments in the water, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction should be explicitly accounted for in the design stage when undertaking the economic analysis. Those benefits can inform adaptation investments taking into account the co-benefits of health. Lacking explicit consideration, the nature and extent of these adaptation investments are likely to be inappropriate (under-investment in adaptation and/or selection of inadequate adaptation options), and will result in health impacts and costs that could otherwise be avoided. There is a fundamental need to better understand the nature of the health impacts of climate change and of investment projects. Moreover, there is a need to better understand how to include health benefits and impacts of climate change in water, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction. Incorporating measures that produce health benefits in climate change–related sector development provides strong justification for multidisciplinary planning and coordination. Third, climate and health experts and economists need to communicate more effectively to ensure that the information produced by one group of experts is of use to the others. Coordination and harmonization of methodologies, tools, and approaches are critical to support effective responses to climate change, particularly health benefits and impacts. Specific recommendations to DMCs include the following: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) 28 Incorporate health benefits and impacts of climate change into design, implementation, and monitoring processes in water-financing programs, agricultural projects, and disaster risk management systems. Advocate for a policy dialogue ensuring integration of health impacts of climate change risks into national and regional development policies and strategies. Improve public awareness, knowledge, and monitoring of co-benefits related to climate change, health, and economics to ensure reduce of poor people’s vulnerability. Strengthen national meteorological and/or hydrological services, disaster management systems, and national climate change offices to become more proactive to adapt to climate change, rather than reactive. With new projects, consider: (a) the provision of fellowships for education and training in climate modeling and impact studies, (b) the promotion of integrated climate studies in schools, and (c) support for the participation of least developed countries’ experts in regional and international research activities. Train district officials in facilitating community-based adaptation with a focus on preparedness and resilience, particularly related to “hot spots” or areas that are considered high risk (coastal areas and cities).