Abstract
The relationship between climate change, poverty, and health is increasingly understood as requiring a complex systems lens in the design of effective and sustainable responses. Climate change exacerbates poverty and health inequities in ways that are non-linear, multidimensional, and deeply interconnected, making traditional intervention approaches insufficient. In this comment, four types of complexity are examined—compositional, experiential, dynamic, and governance—each of which provides a distinct lens for understanding the multilayered interactions at the climate-poverty-health nexus. Building on these dimensions of complexity, complex systems frameworks that provide structured ways to examine and intervene in the climate-poverty-health nexus are explored. Through multiple examples, we illustrate how such approaches can be practically applied. Complex systems-informed analyses can lead to better-designed policies and strategies that are not only more likely to be effective but also more equitable and sustainable in mitigating the impacts of climate change on the health of those living in poverty.