Ahead of next week’s World Health Assembly, the Faculty of Public Health is backing calls from the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) for World Health Organization (WHO) member states to adopt a proposed resolution on Climate Change and Health.
The draft resolution clearly states that climate change is a major threat to global public health, and sets out a framework to promote health and build climate-resilient and sustainable health systems.
The resolution also highlights how climate change is exacerbating already existing vulnerabilities and gender inequalities, and includes references to the need to increase knowledge and understanding of climate change, and of how countries should respond.
It highlights that climate should be integrated into health monitoring systems, and calls on national governments to actively participate in the Alliance for Action on Climate Change and Health (ATACH) - a WHO-led platform for the exchange of knowledge and best practices, and for collaboration on building health systems that are sustainable and resilient to the adverse effects of climate change.
Chair of FPH’s Climate and Health Committee Professor Paul Johnstone said
“The Faculty of Public Health supports this draft resolution, which if passed, will encourage World Health Organisation member states to place the health of populations at the heart of climate action.
The Alliance for Action on Climate Change and Health, to which the UK Government has made significant commitments, is a critical tool in protecting global health from the ever-increasing impacts of climate change.
The climate crisis is the biggest public health challenge of our time, and we hope the resolution will pass with full support and lead to meaningful action.”
The resolution, which will not be legally binding, is expected to be adopted by consensus on Friday 31st May or Saturday 1st June. Proposed by the Netherlands and Peru, with support from an international coalition of governments including Barbados, Chile, Fiji, Kenya, Monaco, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, this international collaboration reflects the urgent nature of responding to the health impacts of climate change and need for a coordinated global response.
