Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) has endorsed the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP), a blueprint for mobilizing the global community toward building climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems. The BHAP was officially adopted at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on November 13, 2025. With the active participation of civil society in the development of the BHAP, HGPI has also played an active role in this process, including delivering a presentation on a supplementary document to the draft Belém Health Action Plan at the 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health in Brasília, Brazil, in July 2025.

Since the launch of the Planetary Health Project, HGPI has recognized the environmental crisis as a key factor in achieving positive health outcomes. In 2024, HGPI joined the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH)—a WHO initiative that supports the implementation and coordination of the BHAP—and has been actively engaged in global efforts to link climate change and health policy.

The Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP)

Climate change stands as one of the most pressing global health challenges of the 21st century. Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and resource scarcity continue to deepen health inequities worldwide. The BHAP translates growing global discussion and established commitments on health and climate into concrete, actionable measures.

The BHAP strengthens the health sector’s adaptation and resilience to climate change through a practical framework aligned with the WHO Global Plan of Action on Climate Change and Health. By supporting Key Objective 16 of the COP30 Action Agenda—promoting resilient health systems—the BHAP also contributes to the evidence base of the 2028 Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement.

The BHAP is structured around three main lines of action, guided by two cross-cutting principles that emphasize equity, governance, and inclusivity.

Cross-Cutting Principles

• Health Equity and Climate Justice
  Adaptation measures must address inequities and ensure fair distribution of burdens and benefits among populations, nations, and generations.
• Leadership and Governance through Social Participation
  Implementation must uphold accountability, transparency, and inclusive participation, particularly from the most affected communities.

Three Lines of Action

• Action Line 1: Surveillance and Monitoring
  Strengthening climate-informed health surveillance systems to detect climate-related health impacts and support early warning and rapid response mechanisms.
• Action Line 2: Evidence-Based Policy Strategies and Capacity Building
  Promoting intersectoral, participatory policymaking that integrates mental health, strengthens the health workforce, and advances co-beneficial policies such as sustainable food and urban systems.
• Action Line 3: Innovation, Production, and Digital Health
  Fostering equitable access to innovative and sustainable technologies while enhancing the resilience and sustainability of essential health product manufacturing and integrating digital health solutions.

 

Japan’s Support and Official Statement

Japan was among the endorsing countries of the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP). At the COP30 negotiations, the Japanese government representative stated:

“Distinguished delegates, We recognize the impact of climate change on health, their urgency, and the deep connection to the sustainability of our societies. Japan supports and endorses the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP). It provides a comprehensive and equitable framework for addressing health impacts. In particular, Japan emphasizes the principle of Health Equity, which resonates with the concept of Health Security.”

The statement further highlighted Japan’s commitment to supporting resilient systems in the Asia-Pacific and utilizing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a foundation for health protection.

 

BHAP Development and Related Reports

The foundation for the BHAP was advanced during the Global Conference on Climate and Health in Brasília, Brazil, from July 29–31, 2025. This conference served as both the annual ATACH meeting and the first official pre-COP event to center health as a primary focus, bringing together government representatives, researchers, international organizations, and civil society groups. During this event, HGPI presented a supplementary document to the “Innovation and Production” workshop, drawing on policy insights from the December 2024 column, “Toward Achieving Carbon Neutrality in Japan’s Pharmaceutical Industry.”

To further supplement the BHAP, two further documents were launched during COP30:

1. COP30 Special Report on Health and Climate Change, which summarizes the evidence and actions to support the BHAP’s implementation, including policy recommendations.
2. Special Report on Social Participation in Health and Climate, which highlights key experiences, lessons learned, and strategies intended to strengthen participatory processes, with a specific focus on Black, Indigenous, traditional, and local communities.

These two documents align with the cross-cutting principles of the BHAP, which emphasize health equity and governance with civil society participation, particularly representatives of the most affected peoples and communities, in all stages of policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.

Towards COP30 and Beyond

Following the adoption at COP30 in November 2025, implementation will be guided by the BHAP Oversight Commission WHO will collaborate on reporting, coordination, and monitoring to ensure institutional coherence, with ATACH serving as a key supporting initiative.

Collective progress on the BHAP’s implementation will be evaluated through the 2028 Global Stocktake at COP33 (2028). Endorsing Parties (State Parties in the UNFCCC) will be invited to report on their progress, aligned with the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) indicators and any other appropriate national indicators, to enhance transparency, enable better comparison across countries, and ensure alignment with broader global climate frameworks.

 

Aligning with National Commitment

By endorsing the BHAP, HGPI reaffirms its dedication to advancing evidence-based policies that strengthen the intersection of climate and health. HGPI will continue to collaborate with partners and support Japan’s engagement in global efforts to build resilient, sustainable, and equitable health systems under the BHAP framework.

This dedication aligns directly with the commitment expressed by the Japanese Government at COP30. The government representative stated that Japan is: 

“committed to contributing with scientific evidence to the creation of a sustainable society, where everyone can live in good health and well-being.” 

Furthermore, by emphasizing the importance of Health Security and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as foundational elements—concepts also highlighted in the Japanese statement—HGPI aims to contribute its expertise to realizing the goals of the BHAP globally, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.