Opening Remarks at the Inaugural Western Pacific Action Forum on Climate Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems

Honourable Ministers, esteemed delegates,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

It is both an honour and a deep personal privilege to welcome you to Day two of the inaugural Western Pacific Action Forum on Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems.

Yesterday, we laid the groundwork - identifying challenges, exchanging experiences, and envisioning what must come next. Today, we shift gears. Today, we act.

We gather at a pivotal moment. The Western Pacific Region - a tapestry of megacities, mountain communities and island nations - is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions on earth.

The impacts are no longer distant threats. They are here. Rising seas swallow coastlines. Heatwaves strain our hospitals. Supply chains falter. Health systems bend under pressure.

And yet, this Region is also a wellspring of innovation, resilience and leadership. That is our strength. That is our story.

At the heart of our collective response is the ACE Five-Year Strategy for 2025-2029 - a bold, people-centred roadmap built on three interconnected pillars:

First pillar: Resilient health systems - hospitals and clinics that not only survive climate shocks but thrive in their wake. Systems that anticipate extreme weather, shifting disease patterns, and rising demand - while cutting emissions, waste and pollution.

Second: Transformed food systems - Food is both a source of nourishment and a driver of climate and disease. By reimagining how we grow, distribute, and consume food, we can deliver diets that heal people and the planet.

Third: Healthier urban and island environments - With over half our population living in cities and on coastlines, we must design spaces that are cooler, greener and more resilient - protecting health, reducing inequities, and securing our future.

These pillars are not abstract ideals. They are practical, urgent and achievable.

We are already seeing progress:

• Viet Nam is embedding climate resilience into its health system through the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), aligned with its net-zero vision.
• Singapore continues to lead in sustainable health care, urban cooling and climate preparedness.
• Pacific island nations, on the very frontlines, are showing the world what true resilience looks like - from solar-powered clinics to early warning systems reaching remote communities.

To support these efforts, WHO's Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health is rolling out new tools:

• ACE-FIT is unlocking climate finance for health projects.
• FutureProof2035, in partnership with the National University of Singapore, is modelling future health and climate trends to guide smarter decisions.
• The Lancet Commission on Sea-Level Rise, Health and Justice, co-chaired by Dame Christiana Figueres, was born here in Singapore - a direct response to Pacific Ministers' call for action. Its mission: to spotlight equity, generate evidence, and ensure health is central to global climate policy.

These initiatives reflect WHO's commitment to being practical, impactful and deeply responsive to Member States.

They also align with global frameworks like the Belém Health Action Plan, which offers a mandate for climate adaptation, equity and justice - and a blueprint for country-driven action in our Region.

ATACH remains a cornerstone - helping countries turn pledges into progress, and enabling the Western Pacific to lead with solidarity and purpose.

Senior leaders, our tasks are clear:

• Align national health planning with climate adaptation.
• Accelerate investment - domestic and international - in resilient infrastructure and workforce.
• Centre equity and justice in every decision.

We must integrate mitigation and adaptation in ways that strengthen - not burden - our health systems.

This Region is home to 2.3 billion people - nearly one third of humanity. And with COP31 potentially on our shores next year, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to show the world that climate action and health action are one and the same.

Let us leave this Forum not just with ideas, but with commitments. Let us build greener hospitals, empower stronger communities, and breathe cleaner air.

With the ACE Strategy as our compass, the Belém Plan as our anchor, ATACH as our engine, and your leadership at the helm - the Western Pacific Region can, and must, lead the world.

I recently came across a quote that resonates deeply with our mission: "We are not only responsible for what we do, but also for what we fail to do." - Molière

Let us not fail. Let us rise, together.

Before I close, I extend heartfelt thanks to our gracious hosts - Singapore and the National University of Singapore - for their unwavering commitment to this shared vision.

Thank you.