WHO Urges Prioritizing Health in Climate Change Battle
WHO Urges Action to Prioritize Human Health in Climate Change Plans Before COP28
In a recently published statement titled “2023 year evaluation,” the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the urgent need for actions to ensure that human health is fully prioritized and integrated into national plans to combat climate change before the upcoming COP28.
The statement highlights the existing harmful impact of climate change on human health and well-being. It identifies the increase in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases caused by extreme temperatures and air pollution, as well as diseases resulting from extreme climate events, as inevitable consequences of climate change.
One of the key points raised in the statement is the necessity for sustainable climate financing to comply with health policies, mitigate climate change, and promote resilient development. It also emphasizes the insufficient allocation of financing in the health sector within national plans to combat climate change.
The WHO stresses that the financial capacity of countries plays a crucial role in their ability to adapt to climate change and participate in mitigation actions. It points out that countries lacking resources to finance climate change-related actions are often the most vulnerable to its effects.
In addition to supporting countries in establishing climate-resilient health systems and reducing carbon emissions from health services, the WHO underlines the need for health to be at the forefront of national climate change plans.
The statement also highlights the urgent need to accelerate health-focused climate action at all levels, working in collaboration with the COP28 presidency. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasizes that after years of promises, urgent action should be taken to protect the health of people and the world.
Tedros underscores the importance of climate policies based on health outcomes, stating that such policies are crucial for saving lives, preventing disease, and building healthier and more just societies.
COP28 is scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates from 30 November to 12 December. This statement from the WHO brings to the forefront the critical need for prioritizing human health in global efforts to combat climate change before this significant event.
