CALL FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY: TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL HEALTH PRIORITY

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised climate change as one of the greatest and most imminent threats to global health. During the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly, a new resolution on climate change and health was passed with broad support from Member States, reaffirming the urgency of addressing the risks and health needs associated with climate change. This is an important step that complements and supersedes the previous, outdated resolution of 2008. 

While the previous resolution focused mainly on health sector adaptation strategies to climate change, the new resolution presents a broader and more defined vision of the actions Member States are called upon to take, both in adaptation and mitigation policies. More specifically, the new resolution includes among its core commitments:

• The development of national adaptation plans to increase the preparedness of the health system and its ability to respond to growing needs related to climate change by conducting regular assessments of vulnerabilities and necessary adaptation strategies;
• the decarbonisation and ecological transition of the health sector towards more environmentally sustainable health systems, to limit greenhouse gas emissions without compromising the quality of health care and services; 

• multi-sectoral cooperation between ministries of health and other national authorities, in the areas of ecology, economics, health, nutrition and sustainable development, promoting a holistic and coherent approach to strengthen the resilience of the health sector and address the root causes of climate change;
• the mobilisation of dedicated resources, such as funds from multilateral development banks, climate funds, health funds and other innovative resources, with a focus on the needs of the most vulnerable countries affected by the effects of climate change 
• raising the awareness of the health sector and the public about the interdependence of climate and health, promoting recognition of the health benefits of adopting a sustainable behaviour. 

WHO proposes a number of tools to support the pathway towards these goals, such as the WHO global strategy on health, environment and Climate Change, approved during the 2019 World Health Assembly (WHO global strategy on health, environment and climate change), or the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), i.e. a platform to share knowledge and good practices for sustainable and resilient health systems. 

At a time when climate-related health damages are becoming increasingly common and recognised, the passing of this resolution sends an important signal to the global health community. Radical and urgent action is imperative by all Member States to address these growing threats. The resolution emphasises that health promotion is inseparable from sustainable behaviour and climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Health therefore has a double responsibility, not only to protect health, but also to counteract, or slow down, the magnitude of the climate crisis.

As fundamental as it is, this resolution can only be a starting point for many countries where measures for adaptation and ecological transition of the health system are still lacking. Both nationally and internationally, this resolution will therefore have to be translated into commitments and concrete actions implemented to safeguard human health along with that of the entire planet.

Article by Lucia Giannini, Italian Climate Network Volunteer
Cover image: Pixabay