DUBAI, UAE – The inaugural Health Day at COP28 on Sunday saw a strong push by some global leaders, led by US Climate Envoy John Kerry, for a swift transition away from the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. While some ministers of health among the 50 countries gathered for the day also echoed Kerry’s call […] Continue reading ->
At the 2016 UN Climate Conference in Marrakesh, a small group of public health professionals from around the world laid out the shocking connections between the more than half a million childhood pneumonia deaths annually and children’s routine exposures to air pollution from both household and outdoor sources. While this was a first, our health-focused […] Continue reading ->
DUBAI, UAE – In what is being described as a historic and pivotal moment by top COP28 and World Health Organization (WHO) officials, 124 countries have endorsed the Declaration of Climate and Health. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, President of COP28 in Dubai, made the announcement. “We have received commitments from 123 countries that are […] Continue reading ->
A project born from community advocacy and Indigenous leadership has catalysed a unique partnership between a small, rural Australian community and global health experts, shining a light on the link between climate, health and the power of community-driven change. Systematic water mismanagement combined with droughts and floods exacerbated by climate change has led to […] Continue reading ->
As the world continues to burn fossil fuels, heatwaves and air pollution are getting worse, and increasing the pressure on human health. This is exacerbating the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which comprise the lion’s share of the world’s disease burden, experts at COP28 said on the opening day of the summit on Thursday. “We […] Continue reading ->
The world will soon know whether a petrostate can steer the global fight against climate change as the 28th UN Climate Conference (COP28) opens in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two-week summit, expected to draw a record 70,000 delegates from more than 200 countries, marks the largest gathering of world leaders this year. The […] Continue reading ->
Negotiators at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) must accelerate the end of fossil fuels, eliminate trillions in fossil fuel subsidies, and swiftly transition to clean, renewable energy to reap the health benefits of climate action, senior World Health Organization (WHO) officials urged at a press briefing on Tuesday. Despite the absence of explicit […] Continue reading ->
Almost all countries (91%) have included health considerations in their latest climate-mitigation plans – called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – but those that have already felt the effects of extreme weather events appear more likely to have more detailed plans. This is according to an analysis of countries’ 2022 NDCs, the main policy instrument to […] Continue reading ->
The third round of international negotiations over a global plastics treaty has ended in a stalemate, leaving nations no closer to an agreement to stem the tide of plastic pollution that is choking the planet and endangering human health. The week-long talks at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi marked the halfway point towards […] Continue reading ->
If government subsidies for fossil fuel were removed and redirected to addressing the impact of climate change on health, this would free up some $6 trillion or 75% of what is spent on health annually, said Agnes Soucat from the French Development Agency. Soucat also called for scrutiny of agricultural subsidies “and how they contribute […] Continue reading ->