Climate Crises and Public Health Challenges—With a Focus on South and Southeast Asia

South and Southeast Asia are widely recognised as global hotspots facing the escalating consequences of climate change, characterised by rising climate-induced disease burdens and systemic vulnerabilities in public health systems. As the introductory chapter of this edited volume, this chapter outlines the key pathways linking climate crises and public health challenges, examines the multifaceted impacts of climate change on population health, and discusses potential pathways for building resilience based on existing scholarly literature. It also provides a brief overview of the chapters included in this volume. The chapter highlights the direct association of various extreme climatic events with increased human mortality, injuries, the spread of infectious diseases, rising morbidity, and disruptions to healthcare infrastructure and the continuity of health services across South and Southeast Asian countries. In addition, various climate change–related processes, mediated through both physical and social environments, indirectly exacerbate food and nutritional insecurity, water and sanitation challenges, air pollution, the urban heat island effect, and human displacement, all of which adversely affect regional health outcomes. The complex interaction of direct, indirect, and intersectional pathways between climate crises and public health also contributes to heightened psychological and social stress, post-disaster mental health disorders, and the amplification of existing disease burdens. The convergence of high climate vulnerability, a substantial pre-existing disease burden, and fragile health systems creates a “triple burden” that significantly intensifies public health risks in this region. Strengthening adaptive governance and community-based resilience—through early warning systems, climate-informed health surveillance, and coordinated cross-sectoral policies—is therefore essential for effectively managing climate-induced public health risks in South and Southeast Asia.