Health and Climate now officially integrated, COP29 deemed progressive

Garfield Ekon

Staff Writer

Baku, Azerbaijan, November 22, 2024 – The United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29) marked a significant milestone in the global effort to integrate health and Climate action, to protect health in the face of catastrophic occurrences.

At the heart of the progress was a high-level event, COP Presidencies bringing Health at the Centre of Climate Agenda, hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO), Spain, Azerbaijan and the COP29 Presidency.

Leaders underscored the need for continuity and synergy in Climate-health initiatives, with a critical emphasis on translating past pledges into action.

A highlight of the COP29 proceedings was the signing of the Letter of Intent officially establishing the Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health.

COP29 is building on commitments made at previous UN Climate Change Conferences (COPs).

“This initiative unites the visionary leadership of five COP presidencies that span this critical time for action, underscoring a commitment to elevate health within the Climate agenda.” Said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“This coalition represents a collective will to prioritise Climate and health now and for the future,” he said.

The coalition, co-led by Azerbaijan, Brazil, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in partnership with the WHO, aims to provide a long-standing framework to drive impactful health outcomes from past Climate commitments. By bridging efforts across COP presidencies, the coalition reinforces sustained action and ensures ongoing momentum on critical health priorities as COP30 approaches.

Aligned with the goals of the Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition, the event underscored progress achieved since the first Health Day at COP28, with key discussions focused on, operationaliaing Climate-Health Financing, the guiding principles for financing Climate and Health Solutions were further solidified as a framework to engage and amplify partnerships at the national level.

Efforts to enhance resource mobilisation and technical assistance were highlighted, ensuring greater resilience in health systems globally. Showcasing Climate-health synergy success stories, various nations shared success stories exemplifying integrated health and Climate strategies, inspiring broader adoption of effective approaches that can be scaled globally. These initiatives illustrated the measurable benefits of multilateral and bilateral partnerships in addressing the health impacts of Climate change.

With these outcomes, COP29 sets the stage for an era where health considerations are seamlessly integrated into climate policies, aiming for a healthier, more resilient future for all.