Global Research Roadmap Launched to Address Climate Change, Migration and Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a global research prioritization and action plan aimed at strengthening evidence on the growing links between climate change, migration, displacement and health, calling for greater investment in research to guide equitable health policies worldwide.
The roadmap was unveiled during a virtual webinar on July 22, 2026, jointly organized by WHO’s Health and Migration programme and its Climate Change, Energy and Air Quality programme. The event brought together more than 300 participants from over 75 countries to discuss one of the world’s most urgent yet under-researched public health challenges.
The initiative comes as climate change increasingly contributes to migration and displacement, exposing vulnerable populations to heightened health risks and creating new challenges in accessing healthcare throughout the migration journey.
According to WHO, although awareness of the climate–migration–health nexus has grown significantly, major evidence gaps remain regarding how climate-related mobility affects people’s health, well-being and access to essential health services.
“Closing research gaps is a matter of equity. To achieve universal health coverage, strengthen climate resilience and advance health equity, migrant and displaced populations must not be an afterthought; they must be part of the solution from the beginning,” said Dr. Santino Severoni, Head of WHO Health and Migration.
The newly launched Global Research Prioritization Exercise (GRPE) is the first thematic initiative under WHO’s Global Research Agenda on Health, Migration and Displacement. It is designed to generate robust, policy-relevant evidence that supports equitable and migration-inclusive health systems.
WHO said the exercise was developed through a structured and participatory process that included a scoping review, stakeholder mapping, technical consultations and an online prioritization survey. The process engaged 59 experts from academia, policymaking and public health practice across multiple disciplines, sectors and regions.
The research identified priority areas under three core themes: social determinants of health, universal health coverage, and health emergencies. It also highlighted two cross-cutting priorities—health outcomes and data, and policy and interventions—to guide future research and decision-making.
Among the key priorities are addressing social inequalities affecting migrant and displaced populations, improving access to health systems and services, strengthening preparedness for climate-related emergencies, developing migration-sensitive health data systems, and expanding research on mental health, maternal and child health, chronic diseases, and the long-term health impacts of climate-related mobility.
Dr. Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, Head of WHO Climate Change, Energy and Air Quality, said stronger scientific evidence is essential as climate change continues to reshape global patterns of health and human mobility.
“Climate change is already affecting the health and mobility of populations around the world. Strengthening the evidence base is essential to inform effective policies and ensure that those most affected are protected through climate-resilient and equitable health systems,” he said.
Participants at the launch emphasized the need for stronger collaboration across the climate, migration and health sectors to ensure research findings are translated into practical policies and interventions. They also called for improved migration-sensitive data systems, more community-centred research, and stronger partnerships between researchers, governments and development partners.
WHO said it will work with Member States and partners to integrate the research roadmap into regional and national priorities while strengthening capacity and promoting policy-oriented research. The organization believes the initiative will help translate scientific evidence into action, supporting more resilient and inclusive health systems capable of responding to the growing impacts of climate change on migrant and displaced populations.
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