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• Just before COP29, WHO released the “COP29 Special Report on Climate Change and Health,” which emphasized that “health” is the decisive argument for climate change action
• Compared to the previous COP26 Special Report, the COP29 Special Report provides greater recognition of the seriousness of the impacts of climate change and emphasizes the urgency of action
• The COP 29 Special Report presents recommendations and evidence for urgent action in the categories of “People,” “Place,” and “Planet”
• Discussions on climate change and health are expanding at COP, and these discussions are expected to continue at COP30, which is scheduled to be held in Belém, Brazil

Introduction

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in November 2024. On November 7, 2024, just before the COP29, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the COP29 Special Report on Climate Change and Health titled “Health is the Argument for Climate Action (hereinafter referred to as the “COP29 Special Report”).”

WHO’s previous pre-COP special report was published prior to COP26, titled “Climate change and health: the health argument for climate action (hereinafter referred to as the “COP26 Special Report”).” In addition to the COP29 Special Report, WHO also released a technical guidance on “Healthy Nationally Determined Contributions.” These publications were released to urge world leaders at COP29 to abandon the siloed approach to addressing climate change and health.

WHO’s COP29 Special Report was developed in consultation with the global health community, which included more than 100 organizations and more than 300 experts. The Health and Global Policy Institute’s Planetary Health Project also participated in this consultation and provided recommendations.

In this edition of the Planetary Health Policy Column, we present the summary of the COP29 Special Report, the evolution of the report’s content since the COP26 Special Report, an overview of the report, and the health discussions at the COP.

Rising Urgency Since COP26

The COP26 Special Report presents 10 recommendations centered around health, including promoting healthy and sustainable food systems, building clean energy systems, and strengthening health resilience to climate risks.

The COP26 Special Report emphasized the involvement of the health sector in climate change mitigation and adaptation, highlighting the co-benefits of climate policies for health (e.g., improving air quality, promoting clean transport and active mobility). The COP29 Special Report takes this further by highlighting rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, calling for a transition away from fossil fuel dependency, the integration of health into all climate related policies, and the reshape of financial and governance systems that are sustainable for environment and health.

In addition, with regard to the adaptation of health systems, the COP26 Special Report recommended building resilient health systems to enhance the ability to respond to health risks from climate change. In contrast, the COP29 Special Report goes beyond mere adaptation and calls for building “future-proofed health systems.”

One of the major features of the COP29 Special Report is that it addresses mental health as an important issue, which was limited in the COP26 Special Report. In particular, the report takes a close look at the mental health implications of rising eco-anxiety among young people and social disruption caused by climate change.

Health is the Argument for Climate Action

The COP29 Special Report emphasizes that “health” is the key argument for climate action across People, Place, and Planet in climate action.

The report consists of seven key messages and critical asks for each message. Based on these, it provides essential guidance and evidence syntheses to help governments and policymakers place “health” at the heart of climate solutions in COP negotiations, national strategies, and other initiatives.

These seven key messages are categorized into two for people, places, and the planet, with the central message being: “Our health is not negotiable.” Each key message is accompanied by recommendations for urgent action, resources for scientific evidence, barriers to action, and information or examples to facilitate action.

Our health is not negotiable
End fossil fuel reliance and ensure people-centred adaptation and resilience.

• Prioritize health in national climate plans to accelerate the Paris Agreement goals.
• Make human health and well-being the top measure of climate success to catalyse progress and ensure well-being.
• Commit to the climate and health agendas agreed through the WHO and the UNFCCC.
• Ensure policy-makers, the private sector and economic leaders understand the immense costs of climate-related health impacts on populations and markets.
• Account for the health impacts and costs of climate change in climate commitments including the NDCs and L&D frameworks.

 

PEOPLE: The lived experience of the climate crisis is health – health, well-being and equity must be at the heart of climate action

Unlock human development and put people at the heart of climate action.
Prioritise equity, human rights, and a just transition to ensure everyone benefits from climate action.

• Drive health-focused climate mitigation, adaptation and L&D to unlock human potential, including through climate-aware education, training, jobs, and fostering climate strategies that ensure the well-being of present and future generations’ health, economies and security.
• Put equity, justice and human rights at the core of climate action by delivering a just transition that is inclusive, resilient and holds health as the top measure.

Build future-proofed health systems
Invest in low-carbon, climate-resilient health systems and a fit-for-purpose, well-supported global health workforce.

• Invest in and deliver low-carbon, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems to promote health, mitigate climate impact on the health sector, and protect and promote populations from climate and all health challenges.
• Invest in growing, employing and upskilling the health workforce to respond effectively to the health impacts of climate change. Build the health sector’s capacity to tackle climate change head on.
• Mobilize the health workforce to guide mitigation, adaptation, and resilience both in the health sector and through system-wide actions.
  
  

PLACE: Realize the co-benefits of stewarding environments for health and the critical opportunity and savings of investing in prevention

Cities are key to unlocking climate and health co-benefits
Deliver wins for health and climate by financing and implementing clean energy, zero-emissions transport, infrastructure design, effective waste management, and climate preparedness.

• Prioritize prevention, health promotion and well-being in climate mitigation by addressing health determinants, ensuring access to clean energy, zero-emission transport, active mobility, healthy and low-carbon food systems, and effective waste management.
• Centre health and equity in urban climate and clean air policies, regularly monitoring and evaluating their health co-benefits.
• Focus adaptation programmes on key health determinants by expanding green spaces, improving air quality, controlling vector-borne diseases, and improving heat mitigation and water management.
• Build climate-resilient urban infrastructure, including housing, transport, water, and sanitation systems to protect public health from climate impacts.
• Leverage partnerships across governments, the private sector, the scientific community and residents to innovate, share knowledge, and prepare for climate risks, with improved data systems for decision-making and early warnings.

Nature and biodiversity are the foundation of our health
Protect and restore natural systems as fundamental for healthy lives, sustainable food systems and livelihoods.

• Advocate for biodiversity policies and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) that protect ecosystems and essentials such as water, food, medicine, and climate regulation, prioritizing conservation, sustainable use, and restoration.
• Apply a One Health approach to address the links between human, animal, and ecosystem health, tackling issues such as infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.
• Engage health workers in prescribing NbS to improve physical and mental health.
• Incorporate Indigenous knowledge and leadership in biodiversity conservation, ensuring equal partnership and respecting Indigenous rights.
• Promote sustainable, culturally appropriate, regenerative and diverse food systems that protect the environment, support livelihoods, and reduce harmful agricultural practices, like excessive pesticide and antibiotic use.
• Support sustainable fisheries management to protect aquatic ecosystems and ensure long-term viability.
  
  

PLANET: Reshape financial and governance systems for people and planet

Transform financial systems and the economy
Away from extraction towards a well-being and circular economy.

• Reform fiscal policy to ensure fossil fuels are efficiently priced by ending fossil fuel subsidies and introducing a corrective price on polluting energy to maximize benefits to society.
• Recycle the accrued economic benefits from climate-health actions to finance the strengthening of health systems and the transition to renewable, resilient and sustainable infrastructure, energy, food and other systems.
• Substantially increase funding for health-focused climate adaptation and mitigation by shifting financial flows toward evidence-based interventions that deliver climate and health co-benefits while generating economic returns.
• Transition from growth-centric and extractive economic systems towards a well-being and circular economy that prioritizes health, and resilience and sustainability.
• Ensure the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate Finance and Loss and Damage Fund arrangements are substantial, fairly funded, and centre health.

Lead with bold governance that serves the many
Empower and resource communities.

• Place health at the heart of UN climate talks.
• Ensure that health is a core component of climate change processes and policies at international, national, and local levels, with a cross-sectoral approach, including in the National Action Plans (NAPs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS).
• Implement a Health in All Policies approach to address the root causes of climate vulnerability.
• Foster international and cross-sectoral collaboration on climate-health challenges, ensuring equitable participation.
• Empower and resource communities, especially indigenous peoples and frontline communities, to lead climate and health initiatives.
• Enhance cross-sectoral cooperation to ensure climate actions protect and promote people’s health.
• Increase funding and focus on interdisciplinary and intersectional research to unearth climate change health monitoring, evaluation, and solutions.
• Restrict fossil fuel industry interactions in national policy spaces and international fora such as the COP.
  
  

Key Messages of This Report

Since COP26 in the United Kingdom, health-related issues have received significant attention at COPs, and their importance has grown each year. However, there is still a lack of urgency about the health impacts of climate change in the discussions and limited action is being taken.

The COP29 Special Report highlights the importance of placing health at the heart of discussions in response to this situation. By prioritizing health, the report aims to raise awareness of the serious impacts of climate change and emphasize the urgency of action.

Conclusion

The COP29 Special Report was released just before the COP29 session, but there were also other developments on climate change and health during and after the session with cooperation with other COP presidencies.

On Health Day at COP29 (November 18, 2024), the “Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health” was established, co-led by Azerbaijan, Brazil, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in partnership with the WHO. This coalition aims to serve as a bridge between COP presidencies, advance global efforts on climate change and health, and ensure the ongoing momentum on critical health priorities as COP30, which will be held at Belém, Brazil, approaches.

On November 20, 2024, the COP29 Declaration on Multisectoral Actions Pathways (MAP) to Resilient and Healthy Cities was released under the leadership of Azerbaijan, with Japan also joining the declaration. The MAP Declaration aims to strengthen multi-sectoral cooperation to address urban climate challenges.

At the 2024 World Governments Summit, first-ever COP Presidencies Troika—comprising the host countries of COP28, COP29, and COP30—was established along with the Roadmap to Mission 1.5°C. It was emphasized that international cooperation and institutional frameworks would be strengthened to enhance the ambition of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

In February 2025, the COP Presidencies Troika issued a joint statement, highlighting the importance of upholding the commitments made at COP28 and COP29. The statement positioned COP30 as a “crucial opportunity” in efforts to “secure a livable planet for generations to come.”

At COP29, the importance of “health” in advancing climate action was strongly emphasized both before, during, and after the COP29 session. In taking these developments from the COP stage to the country level, the COP29 Special Report provides many valuable insights.

 

References

• World Health Organization. (2024). COP29 special report on climate change and health: Health is the argument for climate action. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.
  
• World Health Organization. (2021). COP26 special report on climate change and health: The health argument for climate action. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

 

Authors

Eri Cahill (Associate, Health and Global Policy Institute)
Kenta Minamitani (Program Specialist, Health and Global Policy Institute / Senior Associate, Mori Hamada & Matsumoto)
Joji Sugawara (Vice President, Health and Global Policy Institute)