The human cost of climate change: Health is needed for accelerated and equitable climate action
This short report focuses on the intersection between climate change and health, outlines the evidence of the impacts of climate change on human health to inform policy and practice, and identifies opportunities to deliver health centred climate action.
To deliver ambitious and decisive action, the writers call on relevant stakeholders to:
- Mainstream health assessments in all decision making on climate change, to ensure all climate policies across mitigation and adaptation are evaluated in terms of risks and benefits to human health.
- Commit to an equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, and promote action to reduce carbon emissions, and that of short-lived climate pollutants.
- Prioritise, fund and support targeted transdisciplinary research on climate and health to unlock adequate finance for solutions in climate action, public health and sustainable development.
- Advocate for the inclusion of health targets and metrics within UNFCCC formal processes, including in the Global Goal on Adaptation (GAA) and Global Stocktake (GST).
- Building on the commitments made at COP28, commit to taking this agenda forward at the 77th World Health Assembly, and harness opportunities at COP16, COP29 and throughout the rest of 2020s.
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