G2H2 policy debate, 15 January 2024
organized by the MMI Network and partners
In 2024, climate change and health will be prominently on the agenda of the WHO governing bodies, with a resolution proposed by the WHO member states Core Group Climate Change and Health, and with the WHO secretariat’s proposal to put the “response to climate change, the greatest health threat of the 21st century” at the centre of its draft strategy (General Programme of Work) for the next years, as one of six strategic objectives.
On this background, the policy briefing and debate will explore, in a conversation between civil society organizations, WHO members states and the WHO Secretariat, how this strategic focus of the World Health Organization on climate change and health, if approved by the Governing Bodies, will be transformed into political leadership for the promotion of climate and health justice within and beyond the health sector, and what support by member states, what capacities and financial means are needed to walk the talk.
Documentation and References
- Zoom recording of the session
here - Draft WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work
Document EB154/28 - Climate Change and Health. Report by the Director General.
Document EB154/25 - Climate Change and Health resolution:
draft text of WHA77 resolution for negotiation, 14 November 2023
(the version of the resolution to be discussed at EB154 is not yet available) - Climate change and health. A review of WHO’s commitment to ‘safeguarding the health of the planet’.
Blog by Andrew Harmer, 10 January 2024 - The project of a WHA77 Resolution on Climate Change and Health: State of the process, civil society narrative, and how to engage. Documentation of a discussion meeting in August 2023 hosted by the MMI Community of Practice on Climate Change and Health
- WHO and COP28: In November 2023, WHO co-hosted the first-ever Health Day at the COP28 UN Climate Conference on which more than 40 million health professionals from around the globe joined a call to action issued by WHO and civil society organizations, to prioritize health in climate negotiations. In a historic milestone global leaders united in endorsing a health and climate change declaration, sounding the alarm on the severe health implications of climate change.At COP28, WHO committed itself to strengthening its climate change and health portfolio by integrating climate change as a priority for all WHO programmes through its core functions of leadership, evidence and, most importantly, country implementation.
More about this session
- Language: English
- Session organized by Medicus Mundi International Network, CoP Climate and Health Justice, Global Climate and Health Alliance
- Contact: Thomas Schwarz schwarz@medicusmundi.org
- Website of series of G2H2 debates: https://g2h2.org/posts/january2024/