Although the climate crisis is a health crisis, it's well overdue that 27 COPs have been and gone without a serious discussion of health, said WHO DG Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
As the COP28 summit in Dubai shifts its focus from lofty rhetoric to tangible concerns, discussions on Sunday delved into the critical impact of climate change on human health.
Amidst a brown haze hanging over the city, attention turned to issues such as the annual global toll of at least 7 million lives lost to air pollution and the rise of diseases like cholera and malaria due to disruptions in weather patterns caused by global warming.
World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised the urgency of addressing health concerns related to climate change and proposed the introduction of a "Health Day" at the UN Conference of Parties on Climate.
He stated that health threats resulting from climate change are "immediate and present" and stressed that health stands as the most compelling reason for taking climate action.
Following two days of speeches by world leaders, including presidents, prime ministers, and royals, the summit is shifting its focus to challenging negotiations aimed at further agreements over the next nine days. The primary goal is to establish measures to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times.
Pope Francis, who couldn't attend due to bronchitis, expressed his attention and called for an end to obstacles caused by nationalism. Protests began at COP28, including symbolic actions like the mock resuscitation of an inflatable Earth, underscoring the severity of the environmental crisis.
Conference organisers announced that 50 oil and gas companies committed to achieving near-zero methane emissions and ending routine flaring by 2030, with a net-zero target for operational emissions by 2050.
However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticised the pledges, stating they fell short of the required standards and lacked clarity on how companies would achieve their goals.
The health sector's role in emissions was highlighted, with the US acknowledging that 8.5 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions come from healthcare. Efforts are underway to reduce emissions, particularly from waste anaesthesia and treatments for respiratory diseases. Raising awareness and product redesign are identified as potential solutions to reduce the sector's carbon footprint.
The COP28 declaration, endorsed by around 120 countries, emphasised the link between health and climate change but did not address the phase-out of fossil fuels.
The impact of climate change on air quality in Dubai was evident during the conference, with haze and air pollution highlighting the urgency of addressing both environmental and health challenges on a global scale.