The climate crisis is exacerbating inequalities in access to basic social services, including healthcare, and highlighting the lack of investment in the sector. From 2009-2019, only 0.2% of total bilateral and multilateral funding for climate change adaptation supports projects with a health specific objective. If nothing is done, future pandemics, most likely of zoonotic origin, are likely to be even more devastating than the Covid-19 crisis.
“One of the major barriers that low- and middle-income countries report is a lack of finance for climate and health investments.”
Marco SchäferhoffIn our blog series "Health and Climate: concrete opportunities for more synergetic work?"
Our asks:
The organisation of a first official Health Day at COP 28 and the adoption of a declaration on the subject represent a crucial step in taking into account the impacts of climate change on health.
In order to cope with the health and environmental crisis simultaneously, we are asking global decision-makers to commit to:
- Tackling biodiversity loss and promote a “One Health” approach, i.e. an interdisciplinary vision that links human, animal and environmental health.
- Investing in research and development to address the health consequences of climate change.
- Strengthening surveillance and prevention, in particular to detect the risk of transmission of pathogens from animals to humans and to raise awareness among populations at risk.
- Increasing funding for health and climate, in particular the ones offered by Multilateral Development Banks and dedicated climate funds.
- Strengthening healthcare systems worldwide, in particular through official development assistance.
- Integrating health as a core topic of all international climate discussions.
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