Global Temperatures on Track for Record Highs as WHO Calls for Health-Centered Climate Action Ahead of COP29
As 2024 is on course to become the warmest year on record, the urgent need for a health-centered approach to climate action has gained prominence among global experts. According to the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the average global temperature from January to September 2024 has risen to approximately 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels, nudging dangerously close to the critical 1.5°C threshold set in the 2015 Paris Agreement. This pivotal climate accord, signed by nearly 200 countries, aimed to curb temperature increases to 1.5°C to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. Yet, the rapid warming trajectory suggests that traditional approaches to climate action may not be enough to meet these goals.
In response to these developments, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on world leaders to place health at the center of climate policies. The timing of the WHO’s appeal comes ahead of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), scheduled for Baku, Azerbaijan. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the profound link between climate change and global health risks, urging that “the climate crisis is a health crisis.” He called on leaders to adopt policies that prioritize public health alongside environmental goals, describing this as a moral obligation as well as a strategic move for ensuring long-term well-being and resilience.
The WHO’s report, prepared in collaboration with over 100 organizations and 300 experts, identifies key actions that policymakers can take to incorporate health as a central component of climate solutions. It urges governments to abandon a siloed approach to climate policy and adopt a framework that integrates health, sustainability, and resilience. Among its recommendations, the report calls for the immediate removal of fossil fuel subsidies and a commitment to clean, sustainable energy alternatives. According to the WHO, such a shift would not only help reduce the health impacts of pollution, which disproportionately affects poorer communities, but would also cut carbon emissions, addressing both health and environmental crises in tandem.
To protect communities that are most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, the WHO proposes several practical steps. These include strengthening healthcare systems to withstand climate shocks, building resilience in frontline communities, and decarbonizing health systems themselves. The report estimates that around 3.6 billion people—almost half the global population—currently live in regions most susceptible to climate-driven health risks. These communities face heightened dangers from diseases worsened by rising temperatures, along with increased exposure to extreme weather events and the cascading social and economic impacts these events bring. By integrating health measures into climate policies, the WHO argues, leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to tackle urgent public health crises while advancing a more sustainable and equitable future.
The WHO’s report builds on data published in The Lancet, which provides detailed evidence of the interconnectedness of climate change and health risks, especially in countries like India. According to The Lancet, India leads in ten out of fifteen indicators related to health risks associated with climate change, including disease outbreaks, air pollution, and extreme heat. These indicators paint a stark picture of how climate impacts are already endangering public health, with India and other vulnerable countries on the frontlines. As global temperatures continue to rise, regions like South Asia are particularly at risk of enduring higher disease burdens, reduced agricultural productivity, and greater economic instability.
The WHO emphasizes that climate change is no longer just an environmental issue but an immediate public health crisis affecting millions, especially in vulnerable areas where access to healthcare is limited and the effects of environmental degradation are most pronounced. The 1.5°C threshold, considered a tipping point in the Paris Agreement, is fast approaching, which would bring even greater health and environmental threats. This limit is more than a statistic—it represents a threshold that could determine the extent of future climate-related suffering, from exacerbated respiratory diseases due to pollution to the spread of vector-borne illnesses in warmer climates.
At COP29, global leaders have the chance to rethink their climate commitments, embracing a holistic approach that prioritizes health as an essential part of climate solutions. Experts, including Dr. Tedros, argue that such an approach not only addresses a fundamental ethical obligation but also represents a strategic investment. Policies that protect health in the face of climate change promise substantial societal benefits: reduced healthcare costs, improved productivity, and enhanced resilience to future climate shocks. This strategy could unlock transformative health benefits for billions, particularly in lower-income communities that are already feeling the effects of the climate crisis.
The WHO’s health-centered approach includes specific guidelines for protecting communities and enhancing resilience. First, it calls for targeted investment in healthcare infrastructure, especially in regions prone to climate disasters. Improving healthcare access and readiness can save lives during events like heatwaves, floods, and disease outbreaks that are becoming more frequent due to climate shifts. Second, the WHO advocates for policies that directly address the root causes of climate change by reducing fossil fuel dependence. Such policies include ending fossil fuel subsidies and supporting renewable energy sources that can drive both emissions reductions and pollution-related disease prevention.
Another key component of the WHO’s strategy is to decarbonize health systems themselves, making healthcare delivery more sustainable. As the report outlines, decarbonizing the health sector has dual benefits: it reduces emissions and models sustainable practices across other sectors. For example, transitioning to energy-efficient hospital operations or adopting low-emission healthcare technologies can set a standard for other industries while reducing the sector’s overall carbon footprint.
The WHO’s recommendations come as scientific research increasingly confirms the links between health and climate, with rising temperatures exacerbating issues like air pollution, food insecurity, and vector-borne diseases. The Lancet’s recent data reveals that these impacts are not only predictable but are already unfolding in real-time, placing millions at risk. For instance, in areas where warming has intensified, diseases like dengue fever and malaria have surged as mosquitos expand their habitats. Likewise, rising sea levels threaten freshwater supplies in coastal regions, increasing the risk of waterborne illnesses.
This intersection of health and climate is particularly evident in low-income countries and regions with high climate vulnerability. In many cases, the populations that have contributed the least to global carbon emissions suffer the most severe impacts of climate change. By focusing on health, COP29 can offer a platform for global leaders to address this injustice, ensuring that the most affected communities receive adequate support to adapt to and mitigate climate impacts.
As global temperatures continue to approach the 1.5°C mark, COP29 represents a decisive moment for governments worldwide. Leaders now have the chance to adopt a new paradigm—one that recognizes the climate crisis as fundamentally a health crisis and acts accordingly. With WHO’s health-centered framework, COP29 could set a transformative course for future climate action, protecting both the planet and the people most at risk.
COP29 has the potential to lead this shift, making health equity a cornerstone of climate action and unlocking a sustainable, healthier future for billions.
Dheeraj Batra: Co-Founder, Obesity Innovation Lab; Board Member, Johnson & Johnson GPH Innovation Advisory Board
Vijay Anand Raju: Co-Founder, Obesity Innovation Lab; Ex-Head of Strategy, World Economic Forum