WHO Director-General's remarks at the UNGA Side event High Level Meeting: Trust and Global Governance, Climate Action: Linking the UN Summit of the Future with COP29 – 25[...]

Honourable Minister Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-Designate,

Your Excellency Maria Fernanda Espinosa;

NGIC Co-Chair, former President, Vaira Vike-Freiberga;

NGIC Co-Chair, Ismail Serageldin,

Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear colleagues and friends,

Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to address you again as we connect the important threads of trust, global governance, and climate action.

The health impacts of climate change are undeniable.

Extreme weather events, increasing heat waves, and rising sea levels are disrupting communities and economies, and directly affecting human health.

Air pollution alone claims over seven million lives annually.

Our changing climate is also increasing food insecurity, contributing to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, and fuelling the spread of infectious diseases.

This in turn contributes to antimicrobial resistance, which as you know is the focus of tomorrow's UN high-level meeting.

WHO is supporting countries to respond to the health impacts of climate change, which is putting an increasing burden on their health systems.

We're also supporting them to build climate-resilient health systems that can withstand extreme weather events.

At the same time, we need to make sure the health sector is part of the solution, not the problem - for example, by powering health facilities with renewable energy.

I would like to highlight three priorities:

First, we need to elevate health in climate discussions as one of the most compelling reasons for action.

Many of the same actions we must take to address the climate crisis will also have significant benefits for health, from reduced respiratory illnesses to lowering rates of heart disease.

Second, we must lead by example. The health sector is responsible for nearly 5% of global carbon emissions.

We need to build low-carbon, climate-resilient health systems. Initiatives like solar-powered health facilities can save lives, lower emissions, and increase resilience to extreme weather.

Third, we need to support countries to access the resources they need to build climate-resilient and climate-friendly health systems, which WHO is doing through the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health, or ATACH, which now includes 85 countries.

The Pact for the Future, adopted at the Summit of the Future on Sunday, includes strong commitments to promote and protect the health of both people and planet.

We must all work together to make sure that the COP29 outcome document does the same.

I thank you.

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