“And we need to broaden the definition of adaptation to enable global climate resilience, transform food systems, and improve forestry land use and water management.”

As is widely understood, this crisis is likely to place additional strain on an already overwhelmed global health system.

As well as dealing with the increasingly severe natural disasters that we are already starting to see, such as heatwaves, floods and droughts, doctors will be faced with increased stress on patients from heat due to the accelerating spread of disease vectors such as mosquitoes. .

Extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, and food and water shortages have a major impact on the health of millions of people.

The effects of global warming will only accelerate unless we take action now to tackle the root causes of climate change, says the WHO Director-General. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.

He urged delegates to develop a clear and achievable COP28 roadmap that brings together multiple stakeholders from the health sector to ensure that public health is elevated to the climate agenda and used as a moment to make progress on climate resilience. from the health system.

“We must urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and work to reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels,” continued Ghebreyesus.

“We need to embrace strategies to reduce the impact of climate change, such as using innovative technologies, investing in climate-resilient health systems and having a decentralized, trained health workforce.”