The climate crisis is a global health emergency, with human-induced climate change leading to extreme weather events, disease outbreaks, and the undermining of health systems and determinants. Despite the Paris Agreement's goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C, current trends suggest this threshold may be exceeded as early as the 2030s. While climate finance has recently reached the US$100 billion/year target, less than 1% is allocated to health protection. This disconnect between climate change policy and health leaves populations vulnerable and misses opportunities for creating a healthier, more sustainable future.
In response to the climate change crisis, the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA), held in May 2024, adopted the WHA77.14 Resolution on climate change and health calling for the development of a “global WHO plan of action on climate change and health . . . coherent with the text of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Control and the Paris Agreement . . . firmly integrating climate across the technical work of the WHO at all three levels of the Organization and emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral cooperation, as appropriate”. The implementation of this Global Action Plan will allow WHO to expand its ongoing work and mandate, in line with the WHO Global Strategy on Health, Environment and Climate Change, and WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work 2025-2028 (GPW14), also adopted by WHA77.
This consultation aimed at ensuring that the voices of the health community are heard and integrated into the Global Plan of Action on Climate Change and Health. Interactive discussions provided participants with opportunities to share their experiences, offer feedback, and contribute to the formulation of the Global Plan of Action. The insights and expertise of the health community are crucial in shaping a comprehensive and effective response to the global climate-health emergency.
The recording of the consultation is available below.