Ahead of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29), the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for an end to reliance on fossil fuels and advocates for people-centred adaptation and resilience.
Launching the COP29 special report on climate and health and a technical guidance on Healthy Nationally Determined Contributions, WHO urges world leaders at COP29 to abandon the siloed approach to addressing climate change and health. It stresses the importance of positioning health at the core of all climate negotiations, strategies, policies and action plans, to save lives and secure healthier futures for present and future generations.
“The climate crisis is a health crisis, which makes prioritizing health and well-being in climate action not only a moral and legal imperative, but a strategic opportunity to unlock transformative health benefits for a more just and equitable future,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “COP29 is a crucial opportunity for global leaders to integrate health considerations into strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change. WHO is supporting this work with practical guidelines and support for countries.”
Bold health argument for climate action
Developed by WHO in collaboration with over 100 organizations and 300 experts, the COP29 special report on climate change and health identifies critical policies across three integrated dimensions – people, place and planet. The report outlines key actions aiming to protect all people, particularly the estimated 3.6 billion people who live in areas which are most susceptible to climate change.
The report underlines the importance of the governance that integrates health in climate policy-making – and climate in health policy-making – being essential for progress. The report’s top recommendations include:
- make human health and well-being the top measure of climate success to catalyse progress and ensure people-centred adaptation and resilience;
- end fossil fuel subsidies and reliance by realigning economic and financial systems to protect both people’s health and the environment, through investment in clean, sustainable alternatives that reduce pollution-related diseases and cut carbon emissions;
- mobilize financing for climate-health initiatives, particularly to strengthen responsive health systems and support the health workforce, creating resilient, climate-proof health systems to protect health and save lives;
- invest in proven solutions; just 5 interventions – from heat-health warning systems, to clean household energy, to efficient pricing of fossil fuels – would save almost 2 million lives a year, and bring US$ 4 in benefits for each dollar invested;
- build greater focus on the role of cities in health outcomes, through more sustainable urban design, clean energy, resilient housing, and improved sanitation; and
- increase protections for and restoration of nature and biodiversity, recognizing the synergistic health benefits of clean air, water and food security.
“Health is the lived experience of climate change,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “By prioritizing health in every aspect of climate action, we can unlock significant benefits for public health, climate resilience, security, and economic stability. Health is the argument we need to catalyze urgent and large-scale action in this critical moment.”
Enhanced WHO action on health and climate
Climate NDCs or Nationally Determined Contributions are national plans and commitments made by countries under the Paris Agreement. While health is identified as a priority in 91% of the NDCs, few outline specific actions to leverage the health benefits of climate mitigation and adaptation or to protect health from climate-related risks.
To support countries to better integrate health into their climate policies, WHO has released today WHO quality criteria for integrating health into Nationally Determined Contributions: Healthy NDCs. The guidance outlines practical actions for ministries of health, ministries of environment, and other health-determining sectors (e.g. transport, energy, urban planning, water and sanitation) to incorporate health considerations within their adaptation and mitigation policies and actions.
This technical guidance serves as a concrete framework to implement the recommendations included in the WHO’s COP29 special report, addressing key areas such as leadership and enabling environment; national circumstances and policy priorities; mitigation; adaptation; loss and damage; finance; and implementation. Integrating health within climate plans will support:
- addressing health impacts:tackling the diverse health effects of climate change;
- strengthening health systems: enhancing climate resilience and decarbonization in health systems; and
- promoting co-benefits: focusing on key sectors that have a strong influence both on health and climate change mitigation and adaptation, such as transportation and energy.
In addition to its own initiatives, WHO convenes 90 countries and 75 partners through the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). This platform was established to advance the commitments made at COP26 for building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems. ATACH promotes the integration of climate change and health nexus into respective national, regional, and global plans using the collective power of WHO Member States and other stakeholders to drive this agenda forward with urgency and scale.
(Editor’s note: From the news release in question, below is a sampling of the many statements made by interested individuals providing comment).
Dr Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation:
“The impact of climate change has to be measured in more than degrees: we have to account for lives saved, lost, and improved. The Rockefeller Foundation is working closely with the World Health Organization and many other partners to center health considerations in all climate action, including efforts to enable just energy transitions and to increase economic opportunities for people living in frontline communities.”
Dr Vanessa Kerry, WHO Director-General Special Envoy for Climate Change Health:
“This report exposes how the accelerating climate and health crisis impacts more than just our health – it undermines economies, deepens inequities, and fuels political instability. As leaders gather for COP29, we urge them to fast-track a just transition and increase funding for health systems and frontline health workers to protect the most vulnerable. Health must be central in climate discussions, metrics, and Nationally Determined Contributions. To safeguard people, economies, and global security, health must be at the heart of climate action. We can’t afford to wait.”
Dr Micaela Serafini, President, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Switzerland:
“Today, we are in an unacceptable situation where the world’s most vulnerable people are paying the highest price for a problem they did not cause. Solutions to safeguard their health must be prioritized, with the well-being of people placed at the heart of climate action. Failing to do so will take a toll on the very vitals of humanity.”
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General, The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC):
“From the impacts of extreme heat to the spread of illnesses through floodwaters, from malnutrition as crops fail to mosquito-borne diseases where they haven’t been seen before, the climate crisis is the ultimate health crisis. This report is vital – highlighting how climate change makes us sick and what we need to do about it.”
Jaber Oufkir, Liaison Officer for Public Health Issues, The International Federation of Medical Students’ Association (IFMSA):
The IFMSA envisions a world where climate change is fundamentally recognized as a health-care emergency. We foresee a future where the health sector leads the charge toward a net-zero economy, prioritizing sustainable practices and advocating for systemic changes. The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue; it’s a health crisis that impacts young people profoundly. Yet, youth voices are often absent from the conversations that could make a real difference. We strongly believe that young perspectives must be front and centre in the fight against climate change and highlight the importance of transparent intergenerational collaboration, creating a space where climate, health, and youth empowerment intersect for change. Our vision calls for actionable commitments from decision-makers to integrate health into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), prioritize health equity, and integrate climate adaptation strategies into public health frameworks. We ultimately envision diligent efforts towards phasing out fossil fuels and taking necessary steps to ensure a sustainable future for all.
Source: “WHO demands urgent integration of health in climate negotiations ahead of COP29,” Nov. 7, 2024 World Health Organization news release.
Corresponding, connected home-page-featured image: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)