- Governments and the private sector are implementing commitments made at COP26 and by the G7 covering more than 47% of all health sector climate emissions via the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) and the Race to Zero.
- Health organizations, including the WHO, are urging governments to agree to a legally binding plan phasing out fossil fuel exploration and production as part of a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.
- Health organizations are calling for global compliance with the WHO air quality guidelines to rapidly reduce air pollution and GHG emissions.
- Health leaders are advocating for the inclusion of funding for health and health care in loss and damage agreements made at COP27.
Health care's climate footprint is a significant contributor to the climate crisis, with roughly 5% of global net emissions–it would rank as the 5th highest global emitter as a country. Health leaders in government and private health institutions are implementing transformative solutions for net zero climate-resilient health care. Health Care Without Harm builds capacity with resources and collaborative networks to advance the sector’s decarbonization and resilience solutions globally while advocating for greater health equity and a just and healthy transition. Health Care Without Harm's delegates and partners will be speaking at several COP27 events about the progress of developing net zero resilient health systems.
The organization’s delegates are available for interview at COP27:
- Josh Karliner, Director of Global Partnerships, Health Care Without Harm, Global
- Diana Picon Manyari, International Climate Director, Health Care Without Harm, Global
- Azeeza Rangunwala, Global Green and Healthy Hospital Coordinator, groundWork, South Africa
- Manjit Sohal, Climate Manager, Health Care Without Harm, South East Asia
- Dr. Arvind Kumar, Health Care Without Harm Strategic Partner, Founder Trustee of Lung Care Foundation and Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action
- Dr. Poornima Prabhakaran, Head, Environmental Health and Director, Environmental Health, Public Health Foundation of India
- Arthur Wyns, Policy Manager, Climate and Health Alliance, Australia.
Several events at COP27 will showcase health leaders laying out a vision for how the sector can accelerate concrete actions that reduce emissions while supporting a just transition to a healthier, more equitable, and resilient future. List of Health Care Without Harm delegation events. A featured event: UNFCCC and Health Care Without Harm Futures Lab: Healthy People, Healthy Planet: Transforming the Health Care Sector, will highlight the momentum and vision for net zero resilient health care, and a just and healthy transition away from fossil fuels. Organized by UNFCCC High Level Climate Champions and Health Care Without Harm, in partnership with the World Health Organization, Climate and Health Alliance (Australia); Lung Care Foundation/Doctors for Clean Air (India); the Global Climate and Health Alliance; groundWork (South Africa); Health and Climate Network; Médecins Sans Frontières; and Public Health Foundation of India.
The event explores what a net zero, resilient health system could look like and how this transformational change contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and a just and healthy future without fossil fuels. 21st U.S. Poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera will cap the session by reading a poem specifically for health climate action. Speakers include John Balbus, Acting Director Office of Climate Change and Health Equity U.S. Health and Human Services; Dr. Maria Neira, Director of Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organization; Dr. Maria Guevara, International Medical Secretary, Médecins Sans Frontières, Dr. Arvind Kumar, Founder Trustee of Lung Care Foundation and Doctors for Clean Air and Climate Action; Dr. Courtney Howard, Board President, Global Climate and Health Alliance, Tasneem Essop, Executive Director Climate Action Network, International. The event is MCed by Health Care Without Harm’s Diana Picon Manyari and Josh Karliner.
Where: Action Room 1 (Davos), Blue Zone | Livestream link coming soon. View the full program.
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About Health Care Without Harm: Health Care Without Harm works to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice.