WHO/COP24 Special report: Health & Climate Change

A WHO (World Health Organization) report launched on December 5, 2018 at the UNFCCC COP24 Meeting in Katowice, Poland, highlighted why health considerations are critical to the advancement of climate action and outlines key recommendations for policy makers.

Some Key Findings of the Report:

·      The same human activities that are destabilizing the Earth’s climate also contribute directly to poor health. The main driver of climate change is fossil fuel combustion which is also a major contributor to air pollution.

·      Exposure to air pollution causes 7 million deaths worldwide every year and costs an estimated US$ 5.11 trillion in welfare losses globally.

·      In the 15 countries that emit the most greenhouse gas emissions, the health impacts of air pollution are estimated to cost more than 4% of their GDP.

·      Switching to low-carbon energy sources will not only improve air quality but provide additional opportunities for immediate health benefits.

·      Actions to meet the Paris goals would cost around 1% of global GDP.

·      If the mitigation commitments in the Paris Agreement are met, millions of lives could be saved through reduced air pollution, by the middle of the century.

·      The most recent evidence indicates that the health gains from energy scenarios to meet the Paris climate goals would more than meet the financial cost of mitigation at global level and would exceed that in countries such as China and India by several times.

The Report includes the following recommendations:

1.   Identify and promote actions to reduce both carbon emissions and air pollution, with specific commitments to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement.

2.   Include the health implications of mitigation and adaptation measures in the design of economic and fiscal policies, including carbon pricing and the reform of fossil fuel subsidies.

3.   Include the commitments to safeguard health from the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, in the rulebook for the Paris Agreement; and systematically include health in NDCs, National Adaptation Plans and National Communications to the UNFCCC.

4.   Remove existing barriers to investment in health adaptation to climate change, especially for climate-resilient health systems and “climate-smart” health care facilities.

5.   Facilitate and promote the engagement of the health community as trusted, connected and committed advocates for climate action.

6.   Mobilize city Mayors and other subnational leaders, as champions of intersectoral action to cut carbon emissions, increase resilience, and promote health.  

7.   Systematically track progress in health resulting from climate change mitigation and adaption, and report to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, global health governance processes and the monitoring system for the SDGs.