Check Out: COP28 Presidency Places Health At The Heart Of Climate Action

Last updated on December 6th, 2023 at 07:58 am

Expo City Dubai in the UAE is hosting the COP28 Summit from November 30-December 12. The climate conference marked an early success on its first day as scores of participants reached a historic agreement to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund.

This Sunday marks the first-ever climate and health Ministerial at a COP. COP28’s Health Day on December 3 is expected to bring together Ministers of Health, climate and global health financiers, development banks, philanthropies and the private sector.

On Saturday, the COP28 Presidency joined the World Health Organisation and UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention to announce the “COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health” to accelerate the development of sustainable and climate-resilient health systems.

Health Concerns Now At The Heart Of Climate Action

As the climate emergency keeps making survival difficult for millions of people, the Declaration placed health at the heart of climate action. A set of fresh finance commitments on climate and health have been announced to support the political commitments.

These include a $300 million commitment by the Global Fund to back up health systems, $100 million by the Rockefeller Foundation to improve climate and health solutions, and an announcement by the British government of up to £54 million.

Signed by 123 countries, the Declaration represents the first time that governments across the globe have acknowledged the growing health impacts of climate change on communities. It also highlights the large benefits to health systems from stronger climate action.

Many Fearing Displacements Due To Climate Change

COP28 UAE signals a shift in how climate policies are considered, accompanied by a stronger focus on the social implications of government decisions. Saturday’s announcement comes as 189 million people are exposed to extreme weather-related events each year.

Illnesses and deaths triggered by heat are on the rise. Moreover, annual fatalities from polluted air have hit almost 9 million. In fact, an Ipsos survey has raised concerns over 38% of the global population fearing displacements in the next 25 years due to the climate crisis.

The same figure increases to an alarming 57% among urban Indians. At least 71% of global citizens surveyed for the poll foresee the effect of climate change becoming more severe in the near future. The same figure drops to 66% among urban Indian respondents.