World Health Organization
Climate love
Climate love
For orienting GPW (Global Programme Work) 2025-2028 to combat a cruel health threat multiplier : Climate Change
Every year UNITAR under the UN CC: Learn programme organize Climate Classrooms just before the COP (Conference of Parties) on Climate Change. The topics, which are under consideration in that particular COP are emphasized for spreading awareness and also for connecting citizens across the globe with this significant event. This year, one of such learning session i.e. "climate classroom" was conducted in collaboration with WHO (World Health Organization) on " Climate Change Healt and Negotiation".

Health sector is now being regarded even more relevant for climate action because of the series of extreme weather events and the increases in health problems due to climate change. Only 10% of global finance is spent in Health Sectors. But health sector accounts for five percent of global carbon emission. This also includes 70% of the health care unit -foot prints from supply chain, procurement sector. WHO and other health experts believe that the carbon emission from HCUs can be reduced by taking appropriate actions. However, these climate actions need financial support.

In fact, global scale up of just five climate health actions can save almost two million lives every year. Health care sector has been, therefore, prioritized as an area of action since COP in 2021. A Special Report : "The Health Argument Action is being released in COP 29".

Proverb says that prevention is better than cure. But 97% of health finance is spent on cure and only 3% is spent for prevention of disease. Prevention of disease shall result in to building stronger health resilience among the communities. A shift, therefore, has to happen in financing the health-related climate actions for preventing the damage before it actually happens.

Seven (7) million people, which is approximately 1% of total global population die every year due to air pollution. Or in other words, 1 in every 8 death is due to air pollution. About 2/3 of death from outdoor air pollution is due to fossil fuel burning. The number of persons, who suffers due to poor air quality is several times higher than this statistics on death. Health study report also shows that 1.2 million US$ investments on efficient fossil fuel pricing policy can make a difference. It is needless to say that this energy efficiency, which is being targeted in health sector is being done without compromising the primary need of health care, treatment, recovery and wellness. Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from health sector shall help in recovering the health of planet earth.

There is an ample scope of climate action in adaptation sector as well as in mitigation sector. Case studies on Pakistan 2022 flood, which is one of the deadliest floods in memorable times indicates that vast number of Health Care Units (HCU) were destroyed by flood and this incidence created a chain reaction of misery in the nation. Patients remained unattended in absence of HCUs and that triggered outburst of Malaria and other diseases. Many people fell sick at the same time by making a turnaround of Pakistan after flood much more difficult and longer than it could have been if HCUs were climate proofed. The experience of Pakistan is just a hard lesson about of how cities and nations are likely to suffer due to onset of frequent extreme weather events: heatwaves and floods.

Health Sector has, therefore, also been added to the ongoing Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) initiative. GGA is being prepared as part of decisions taken in COP at Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the global goal on adaptation at COP 26 in Glasgow in 2021. 500 out of possible 5000 indicators are health related in GGA. Preparation of GGA is under progress.

WHO has already approved the Global Programme of Work (GPW) for 2025-2028. GPW has finalized six strategic objectives. One out of six strategic advice is to respond to the threat escalated by Climate Change. Fourteen indicators of GPW 14 are for building resilience on health. Integration of climate change actions in GPW was a crucial step for worldwide re-orientation of health sector with the impending climate change.

Building community resilient is almost an empty phrase without building health resilience among people. Very soon all countries shall finalize their NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) and mainstreaming of climate perspective in health sector shall enable the decision makers and action takers to build resilient community.

The special report is expected to include:
Reshaping financial and governance system for health for people and planet
Ensuring health, well being and equity in every climate action
Realizing co-benefits of stewarding environmental actions for health and critical opportunity and savings from investing in prevention, etc

WHO has rightly pointed out that climate change is a threat multiplier. Multiplying and integrating our HCU scale to global climate actions are needed to prevent the deadly impact of this threat multiplier. The COP for financing is expected to become a milestone in realizing climate action for health and coomunity resilience.


Climate Classroom on COP29 – Climate Negotiations and Health
This interactive online workshop discussed the present state of climate negotiations including the Paris Agreement and how countries negotiate on climate change at the Conference of Parties (COP). It introduced the hot topics that will be discussed during COP29 in Baku and the health priorities for climate talks. Participants got the chance to interact with the experts and get informed about the WHO’s activities on health at COP29.This Climate Classroom is developed jointly by WHO and UN CC:Learn. It supports the online course on Climate Change Negotiations & Health which was updated with the most recent content ahead of COP29. The course features key information on climate change and its impacts on human health, provides an overview of the climate change negotiations so far, and considers entry points to address health issues and priorities within climate change negotiations and policies.More details on the Climate Classrooms @COP29
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2024/11/07/default-calendar/climate-classroom-on-cop29---climate-negotiations-and-health


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Dear DIPANJANA MAULIK Your climate love has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to World Health Organization by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you! /Adam, We Don't Have Time
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It’s essential to address this issue to reduce the health risks associated with climate change. Taking action now can help protect communities and improve overall public health in the face of environmental challenges.
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This is a great initiative! Raising awareness about climate change's health impacts is vital for collective action.
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The course features key information on climate change and its impacts on human health,
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@kelvin_thuranira_kaberia TRUE! It is very insightful indeed!