Introduction

Wild fires burn in the Amazon, Indonesia, Australia and Siberia and regularly affect Southern Europe, North Africa and the west Coast of North America, sparked off both by weather and human actions. Climate change and health groups such as the Sustainability in the UK and Ora Taiao in New Zealand are acting as advocates for the planet in health care. The Lancet Commission on Climate Change Report, additionally raised the need to confront the socio-economic issues that impact on the sustainability of population health creating health inequality and social injustice. The effects of climate change are anticipated to have major consequences on both human health and for the provision of health care services. Spiralling global temperature levels are setting new records on an annual basis bringing with them a range of health threats particularly to the old, the young and those living in poverty. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.