Scorching summer temperatures in recent years have threatened the health of the elderly in temperate countries, in an example of how climate change and health are intertwined. — The New York Times
It is time for formal negotiations on health at the COP (Conference of the Parties) climate summits, said the World Health Organization (WHO) last Wednesday (Oct 12, 2025).
WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was at the United Nations’ ongoing COP30 summit in Belem, Brazil, last week, where he advocated for health to be more prominent in climate change discussions.
“Health is the most compelling region for climate action, but for too long, health has been a footnote in climate negotiations,” he said at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
“It’s much easier to convince people of the urgency of protecting their own health or that of their children than to protect glaciers or ecosystems.
“Both are important; one is a lot closer to home.”
He said last Thursday (Oct 13, 2025) was the dedicated health day at COP30, with host Brazil announcing the Belem Health Action Plan – a climate change adaptation plan focused on health, with actions to help countries prepare their health systems and respond to health impacts due to climate change.
“The climate crisis is a health crisis,” Dr Tedros said.
WHO’s environment and climate change chief Dr Rudiger Krech added that: “While we have seen a lot of health discussions at the COP, we have not yet seen a formal place for negotiations on health.
“It is high time that health becomes an issue for formal negotiations, and we hope to see this at COP31” next year (2026), he said. – AFP
