Climate in Crisis, Health at Risk

This session will highlight opportunities to improve health and save lives through ambitious policies and actions to cut Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and address climate impacts.

The World Health Organization recognizes climate change as a fundamental threat to human health. Climate change is already adversely affecting public health, and these impacts will continue to increase without urgent action to reduce GHG emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goal and adapt to changes that can no longer be prevented. With evidence showing the rising costs of inaction and the major potential health, economic and societal benefits of ambitious action, scaling up climate action is both a public health imperative and a smart investment in a more sustainable future.

In this session, speakers will present evidence on the health benefits of climate action, including the main pathways to health from climate mitigation: cleaner air, healthier diets, and more physical activity. The session will explore opportunities to drive transformative change across all sectors, and will emphasize the urgency of a fast, fair, full and funded fossil fuel phase out to protect and promote health. The need for strong leadership at global, national and local levels to translate evidence and commitments to effective health-centered climate policies and action will also be emphasized. Speakers will also discuss priorities for climate and health for COP30 in Brazil and beyond.