How Active Lifestyles Can Boost Climate Adaptation and Health

Physical inactivity and climate change are two of today’s pressing problems. However, these two problems have been approached in two opposite directions.

Climate change is often seen as a collective issue, while physical inactivity is typically regarded as an individual problem. Instead of solely focusing on changing individual behaviours, we should address a broader range of social, environmental, and systemic factors that contribute to people’s inactivity.

Furthermore, when it comes to climate change, a person’s perception of its risks often does not match the actual severity of its impacts.

The study titled “Benefits of Physical Activity Initiatives for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation,” published in Nature Health in March 2026, argues that enhancing physical activity at a systemic level can aid both climate mitigation and adaptation while also promoting public health.

According to the study, an estimated 3.6 billion people are already living in climate-vulnerable areas, mostly in low- and middle-income countries and small island developing states (SIDS) with weak health systems.

In these countries, the indigenous people, ethnic minorities, poor communities, and older people are most affected.

Additionally, those most affected by climate change are physically inactive people, who are also unable to protect themselves from its impacts.  

Citing another study’s findings that adults tend to become more inactive during extreme weather, the authors point to opportunities to increase physical activity, with the dual benefit of reducing climate change impacts while strengthening the resilience of vulnerable populations.

The authors of the paper, including two from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, write, “aligning physical activity and climate change agendas is more powerful than addressing them separately, offering greater combined benefits for population and environmental health.”  

A study introduces the Physical Activity and Climate Change (PACC) model, a conceptual framework illustrating how well-designed physical activity initiatives can simultaneously contribute to climate mitigation, support climate adaptation, and promote health and equity.

For instance, promoting physical activities such as walking, cycling, and using public transport not only reduces GHG emissions but also fosters a low-emissions, climate-resilient lifestyle.

The study proposes the eight investments to support the increase in physical activities:

1. Whole of school programmes integrate physical activity in the entire school day;
2. Active transport encourages people to walk, cycle, or use public transport daily;
3. Active urban design and infrastructure that is accessible to all;
4. Healthcare integrates physical activity into healthcare routine practice;
5. Public education and media campaigns raise awareness and shape positive attitudes toward being active;
6. Sport and recreation for all ensures lifelong and equitable access to recreational opportunities;
7. Workplaces support movement into occupational settings; and
8. Community-wide programmes engage large populations through coordinated and supportive environments and promote local engagement strategies.

“We present a new model that links the 8 Best Investments for Physical Activity with both climate mitigation and adaptation. It emphasises partnering with Indigenous peoples and local communities, who hold critical place-based knowledge and solutions. It is designed to help policymakers choose strategies that improve health and climate resilience while preventing unintended consequences,” writes Professor Erica Hinckson, a Professor of Physical Activity & Urban Health at AUT, and an author of this research (Physical activity, 2026).