As the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, gets underway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, health topics will take center stage
This year’s conference—held November 30–December 12—will host a program of activities focused on the links between climate change and human health, including its first-ever Health Day on December 3. The spotlight on health at this global event signals growing recognition that the climate crisis is a public health crisis affecting people around the world and offers an opportunity to advance equitable health solutions everywhere.
Reflecting the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) commitment to catalyzing the health sector to address climate change and its effects, NAM President Victor J. Dzau will join leaders from across the globe to share insights on the climate-health nexus during several events in Dubai this week.
“It is heartening to see the robust health program and dedicated Health Day being offered at COP28,” Dzau noted. “This is an important opportunity to raise the profile of the climate-health connection, share solutions, and inspire action. I’m honored to participate in this year’s events and showcase the ways the NAM is helping drive climate action across the U.S. health sector.”
Countdown to COP
Earlier this month, Dzau convened a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C., “Countdown to COP28,” to highlight priorities for U.S. health organizations leading up to the global event. Health leaders from public and private sectors gathered to share approaches, successes, and challenges in their climate action efforts. Participants emphasized the connection between climate, health, and equity, and focused on the opportunity presented by COP28 to drive change.
Key Health-Focused Events at COP28
Shared climate governance is the central theme for events on December 1, and Dzau will speak on a roundtable convened by Brazil’s Ministry of Health, “Governance for Health Equity and Climate Change.” Panelists include Maria Neira (Director, Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health Department, World Health Organization (WHO)), Nísia Trindade Lima (Minister of Health, Brazil), and Josh Karliner (Director of Global Partnerships, HCWH). This panel will highlight the intersection of climate change, health, and global inequities and how to address climate change and climate justice in a cross-cutting, multi-level, and multi-sectoral manner, with a particular emphasis on Brazil.
On December 2, Dzau will join the plenary “Building Net Zero Health Systems”, organized by the U.K.’s Sustainable Markets Initiative, in which global health leaders will explore joint, scalable action to accelerate the delivery of net-zero health systems and adapt health systems to become more resilient and equipped to improve population health. The panel will open with remarks from Pascal Soriot (CEO, AstraZeneca), and Dzau will deliver keynote remarks, along with Nísia Trindade Lima and Tedros Ghebreyesus (Director-General, WHO). Vanessa Kerry (Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health, WHO, and CEO, Seed Global Health) will then moderate a panel discussion with Fiona Adshead (Chair, Sustainable Healthcare Coalition), Paul Hudson (CEO, Sanofi), Kris Licht (CEO, Reckitt), and Bill Anderson (CEO, Bayer).
Later on December 2, Dzau will join a panel organized by Reuters, “Addressing the Climate-Health-Equity Nexus to Improve Lung Health,” centered on how cross-sectoral climate action can support sustainable, equitable respiratory care. Moderated by Axel Threlfall (Editor-at-large, Reuters), panelists will include Pam Cheng (Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, AstraZeneca), Hossam Abdel Ghaffar (Assistant Minister for Health Reforms and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt), and Maria Neira.
In addition, several members of the NAM Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity will be participating in events at COP28, some of which are highlighted here. On December 2, NAM Member and Action Collaborative member Edward Maibach (George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication) will give a presentation on a panel, “Inspiring Urgent Climate Action: Generating and Communicating Evidence on Climate and Health.” Also on December 2, NAM Member and Action Collaborative member Jonathan Patz (University of Wisconsin-Madison) will give a presentation on climate change health effects during a special meeting organized by the Prime Minister of Nepal for prime ministers of mountainous nations. On December 3, NAM Member and Action Collaborative co-chair Admiral Rachel Levine (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)) and Action Collaborative member Ari Bernstein (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) will be participating in a panel, “Regional Approaches to Climate-Health: U.S. Leadership at Home and Abroad,” at the U.S. Center. This session will be moderated by NAM Member and Action Collaborative member John Balbus (Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, HHS) and “Countdown to COP28” participant Joshua Glasser (U.S. Department of State). Also on December 3, NAM ABEM Fellow Caitlin Rublee will speak at a side event at the Nepal Pavilion with representatives from Partnership for Sustainable Development Nepal (NAM Action Collaborative network organization) to discuss the health impacts of climate change in the Himalayan region and efforts to build resilience. On December 9, NAM Action Collaborative member Cecilia Sorensen (Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education) will be co-hosting a panel, “Integrating Health into Climate Change Responses: The Role of Health Professionals.” Overall, roughly a dozen NAM Climate Grand Challenge members are expected to participate in COP28 events.
Read more about the COP28 events featuring representatives from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Learn More About Climate and Health & How the NAM is Taking Action
Climate change is increasingly affecting people’s health, which has direct consequences for the health care system. At the same time, the U.S. health care system generates roughly 8.5% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and 25% of global health sector emissions—more than any other national health sector. Recognizing the role for health sector leadership in addressing climate change, the NAM launched the Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity: an initiative to improve and protect human health, well-being, and equity through communicating the climate crisis as a public health and equity crisis; developing a roadmap for systems transformation; driving the health sector to reduce carbon emissions and build resilience; accelerating research and innovation at the intersection of climate, health, and equity; and reducing climate-related health inequities.
