While the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) hosted in Glasgow between 31 October – 13 November 2021 progressed, another equally important global event was happening in Kosmos, Berlin, Germany. The World Health Summit held between October 24 – 26, 2021 and focused on such important topics with deep ramifications such as vaccine equity, mental health, and pandemic preparedness.
While COP 26 may have overshadowed the summit, the interplay of climate change on health outcomes cannot be overemphasized. Away from both events, at a press briefing happening thousands of kilometers away albeit joined by journalists from across the globe, the regional director of World Health Organisation’s (WHO) AFRO region, Dr Matshidiso Moeti acknowledged the link between climate change and public health and why it’s important to prioritise health during at such gatherings.
According to a special report by the WHO that made a health argument for climate action prior to the start of COP 26, climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, and health professionals worldwide are already responding to the health harms caused by it. The issues that health workers address go beyond communicable diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and the likes. Environment hazards caused by burning of fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions have health implications that lead to hospitalizations and in some cases, deaths.
Women and girls are also disproportionately affected by climate change because when people are displaced due to devastating impacts of climate change like flooding and bush fires, women and girls bear the brunt by facing an added tragedy of sexual and gender-based violence especially among refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). The International Health Regulations adopts the one health approach to ensure health security of countries.
This means paying attention to human, animal, and environmental interactions to avert public health threats. With human activities such as excessive logging disrupting the environment, and most times leading to destruction of the natural habitats of animals, they are forced to seek habitation in other places and this leads to more interaction with humans, increasing cases of zoonotic infections.
Following the deliberations at COP 26 and countries pledging to be carbon neutral by 2050, the Russia – Ukraine conflict is not only threatening that resolve but also testing it. With some European countries considering a reversal to coal to generate power as the war continues to deplete energy supplies. Non-governmental organisations including the president of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen have expressed concerns have raised concerns on the planned move calling it a “backsliding on dirty fossil fuels”.
While it is hoped that health will be top on the agenda for this year’s COP 27, it’s important to also note that there are interventions that are helping communities mitigate, adapt, and become more resilient to the effects of climate change. Amplifying these solutions will help others learn and adopt insights to address their situations.
But beyond that, it also provides opportunity to scale these interventions for more impact.