Your Excellency, former president and NGIC co-chair, Vaira Vike-Freiberga,
Director-General Tatiana Valovaya,
Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan,
Secretary General Doreen Bogdan-Martin,
Your Excellency former president Tarja Halonen,
Honourable Minister and COP29 President, Mukhtar Babayev,
Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
I thank the Nizami Ganjavi International Center for convening this important discussion, and Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency for making health a priority.
From the droughts in East Africa and Central America, to the floods in South Asia, to the wildfires and fire tornadoes in Australia and Los Angeles, the climate crisis is upon us.
It is here, now. Not a hypothetical prediction for the future, but apocalyptic destruction that destroys lives and livelihoods, homes and households, societies, economies, and of course, health.
We must act, and we must act now.
Addressing the inter-relationship between health and climate action is crucial.
COP29 was a significant milestone, as leaders made long-term commitments to translate past commitments on climate-health initiatives into action.
To ensure health remains a priority in future climate talks, the COP29 Presidency, in partnership with WHO, launched the Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health.
The Coalition’s objective is to bring coherence to climate and health initiatives, mobilize funding, and push for follow-through on existing commitments.
At the same time, the WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health, or ATACH, is making progress in efforts to implement climate actions in the health sector.
ATACH is co-convened by the United Kingdom, Egypt, and UAE and Azerbaijan.
More than 90 countries and 75 partner organizations have joined ATACH, committing to building climate-resilient and low-carbon sustainable health systems.
The WHO COP29 report lays out why health is the argument for climate action for people, place and planet.
First, climate action can help to unlock human development.
We must prioritize equity, human rights, and a just transition so that everyone receives long-term benefits from climate action.
People can be supported through investment in low-carbon climate- resilient health systems and a fit-for-purpose, well-supported global health workforce.
Specifically, health systems must be made more resilient to climate risks, and more sustainable to reduce greenhouse gas – healthcare is currently responsible for approximately 5% of global emissions.
WHO, countries, and our partners are supporting action on this through ATACH.
Second, the places we live shape health.
Co-benefits of climate action can be realized through environmental stewardship for health, in both cities and the natural world.
These actions include clean energy, zero-emissions transport, infrastructure design, and protecting and restoring natural systems so fundamental to healthy lives, food systems and livelihoods.
Third, we must transform financial systems away from extraction and towards well-being to truly unlock health co-benefits while delivering economic returns.
Crucial to this is bold governance that includes the needs and voices of most impacted communities, including children.
Military spending last year was a staggering 2.4 trillion US dollars. What we are asking for climate health action is a rounding error in comparison.
The global scale-up of just five climate-health intervention packages combined is estimated to save 1.9 million lives per year.
Thank you all for your commitment to protecting and promoting the health of both people and the planet.
I thank you.
