More climate action is needed to protect our health

Cordaid on World Health Day

The climate crisis is intricately connected to major health challenges. According to the WHO, every year, 13 million deaths are linked to avoidable environmental causes. Protecting the environment is protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the earth on which we grow our food to nourish our bodies and lead healthy lives. All around the globe, we are witnessing the impacts of rising temperatures, extreme weather conditions, and pollution on people’s health and habitats. That includes the water crisis in Basra governorate, one of Iraq’s hottest regions.

Taking climate action is about more than protecting the environment. It’s also about protecting people’s health. In Iraq, fossil fuel extraction and poor pollution management have rendered an important freshwater source for millions of people undrinkable. And dangerous for their health. Cordaid finances research that seeks to reduce the impact of Iraq’s water crisis in the Basra governorate.”