The Climate-Health Nexus in ASEAN Climate Governance: A Framing Analysis of the 2021 ASEAN State of the Climate Change Report
John Nicolas B. MejiaBackground:
Integrating health into climate governance has become increasingly important, yet little is known about how regional climate institutions frame the climate–health nexus within policy discourse.
Objective:
This study examines how the
Methods:
A qualitative content analysis guided by Framing Theory and informed by Mayring’s approach was conducted on the ASCCR. Using deductive and inductive coding, text segments were organized into categories, sub-themes, and overarching themes to identify dominant policy narratives and climate–health framings.
Results:
Four overarching themes emerged: (1) pandemics as systemic disruptions rather than climate-induced events, (2) COVID-19 as a catalyst for green recovery and climate action, (3) infectious diseases as climate-sensitive health risks, and (4) public health as a foundation of climate resilience. Infectious diseases exhibited the strongest explicit climate–health linkages, whereas pandemics and COVID-19 were primarily framed through governance, resilience, and sustainable recovery. Public health was consistently positioned as a cross-cutting component of adaptation and resilience.
Conclusion:
The ASCCR reflects a pragmatic, consensus-based, and resilience-oriented approach to integrating health within regional climate governance. Strengthening climate–health integration through enhanced cross-sectoral coordination, explicit health considerations in climate policy, and climate-informed adaptation strategies could further advance ASEAN’s regional climate governance.