Health Impacts of Climate Change Grab Eyeballs at COP26, But Lack of Finance Continues to be Major Issue

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros receiving an open letter about climate change, signed by health professionals from around the world and organized by Doctors for XR.

 

Link to the source article >> https://healthpolicy-watch.news/health-impacts-of-climate-change-grab-eyeballs/

GLASGOW – Conversations on the health impacts of the climate crisis have grown this year at COP26 – the United Nation’s annual climate conference, now in its 26th year. Experts hope that this increase in conversation will lead to greater awareness about the health crisis exacerbated by the climate crisis and lead to concrete action in the months and years ahead.

Around 85% of countries now have a designated focal point for health and climate change in their ministries of health, according to the 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) health and climate change global survey report released on Monday.

But countries report that a lack of funding, impact of COVID-19, and insufficient resource capacity are major barriers to progress.

Many countries are unsupported and unprepared to deal with the health impacts of climate change, according to the survey.

“We are here at COP26 to urge the world to better support countries in need, and to ensure that together we do a better job of protecting people from the biggest threat to human health we face today,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

At the sidelines of the climate negotiations, the WHO held a day-long conference over the weekend focussed on the climate and health that was attended by high-level delegates.

“We are used to talking about climate as an environmental challenge, an economic challenge, an equity challenge. But it is also one of the most urgent health challenges facing us all today,” said Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of Wellcome Trust.

The conference sought to highlight that while climate change affects health, the mitigation strategies will also automatically translate into health gains.

“Health must become the beating heart of climate action”, said Jeni Miller, executive director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance. “Political leaders must prioritise health and social equity, emission reduction and impact mitigation over politics, profit and unproven technological fixes. The decisions made during COP26 will define the health and wellbeing of people all over the world for decades to come”.

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