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How to reduce health risk linked to climate change, by CONFAB

By Chukwuma Muanya, Assistant Editor (Head Insight Team, Science and Technology)
11 July 2016   |   3:09 am
Experts have developed a blueprint on how to reduce the impact of climate change on human health.
Climate Change

Climate Change

Experts set action agenda for the implementation of Paris Agreement

Experts have developed a blueprint on how to reduce the impact of climate change on human health.

The participants, who attended the Second Global Conference on Health and Climate on July 8, 2016, hosted by the Government of France, COP21 presidency proposed key actions for the implementation of the Paris Agreement to reduce health risks linked to climate change.

The conference, hosted by WHO and the Government of France and in close collaboration with the Government of Morocco, brought together more than 300 government ministers, health experts and practitioners, non-governmental organizations, and experts in climate change and sustainable development.

Participants recommended that the health sector should themselves make a greater effort to promote low-carbon healthcare facilities and technologies; these can simultaneously improve service delivery and reduce costs as well as climate and environmental impacts.

Participants recommended moving to more sustainable food production and healthier diets to improve the environment and reduce non-communicable diseases. One way to do this, they said, would be to promote diets rich in fruits and vegetables including local in-season varieties.

They called for countries to adopt a new approach to link health economics assessment and climate change, for example, by calculating the avoided healthcare costs, when countries invest in mitigation of climate emissions, and protection from climate risks.

Recommendations also focused on scaling up financing on climate change and health through additional resources and mechanisms and existing resources earmarked for adaptation.

They urged different stakeholder groups to work together to highlight ways to address climate change and improve health, for example through a broad health and environment climate coalition.

Participants also focused on the need to measure the progress that countries are making in protecting health from climate change, and reporting through the WHO/UNFCCC climate and health country profiles and Sustainable Development Goal indicators. WHO has already published profiles on 40 countries.

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