Details of events - COP28

November 24, 2023

Health Care Without Harm global network at COP28

The Health Care Without Harm's delegation at COP28 is its largest and most diverse ever, with 12 members from Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa, South East Asia, the UK, and the United States.

 

All the events are in local time (United Arab Emirates, GST. UTC +4).  To calculate the time in your local time zone, visit this page.

December 1:

9:00 - 10.30 | Event: Climate Resilient Health Systems (Roundtable). Invited: Shweta Narayan. Goals House.

  • This high-level roundtable will analyze what’s needed to create health system resilience and discuss solutions to bridge the gaps, including cross-sector action, policy, and financial investment. Featuring Dr. Vanessa Kerry, World Health Organization Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health. Shweta Narayan, International Climate and Health Campaigner for Health Care Without Harm, is attending.

 

15:00 - 16:00 | 15:00 - 16:00 | Governance for Health Equity and Climate Change (Panel). Speaker: Josh Karliner.. Speaker: Josh Karliner.

  • Building on our work to engage the G20 in health care climate action, Josh Karliner, International Director of Program and Strategy for Health Care Without Harm joins a panel that also includes Dr. Nisia Trindade, Brazil’s Minister of Health; Maria P. Neira - WHO Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health Department; and Dr. Victor Joseph Dzau, President of the United States National Academy of Medicine with moderation by Agnes Soares da Silva, Director of Brazil’s DSAST/SVSA Ministry of Health.This closed-door roundtable’s specific objectives are to raise awareness of the relationship between climate change, global inequities, and health; discuss the current state of knowledge regarding climate change and health inequities; identify the most urgent health inequality issues that will be exacerbated by climate change; identify strategies to address climate change and health inequities simultaneously; engage stakeholders on climate change, health, and global inequities as a key priority for COP30 in Brazil; discuss the governance instruments and forums necessary for addressing climate change in a cross-cutting manner.

 

December 2:

TBC | Bloomberg Local Action Hub on Air Pollution (Panel). Speaker: Dr Arvind Kumar.

 

December 3:

9:00 - 11:00 | Health Day Opening: Unpacking Political and Financial Commitments (Plenary). Speaker: Shweta Narayan. Al Waha Theater, UNFCCC Blue zone.

  • Shweta Narayan, International Climate and Health Campaigner for Health Care Without Harm, has been invited to speak at the opening session for this historic health day where she will call for an acceleration of health care decarbonization and resilience in response to the climate crisis, while she also highlights the call by leaders of organizations representing 46 million health professionals for a rapid fossil fuel phase-out, and calls for an acceleration of health sector decarbonization as part of a larger movement to protect public health from climate change. 

    This flagship event will be the official opening of the first-ever Health Day at a COP. It will present an opportunity to cement the link between climate change and health, and showcase the real-world impacts to a broad COP audience. It will also unpack political commitments and showcase progress from governments in strengthening the health response to climate change, highlight how climate-health financing is responding to the priorities of countries and communities through financing principles, commitments, and initiatives, and set the stage for a strong post-COP legacy and increasing momentum for climate action that centers on health.

 

9:00 - 10:30 | A Climate-Smarter Health System (Panel). Speaker: Manjit“Jit” Kaur Sohal. Philippine Pavillion, UNFCCC Blue zone. 

  • As health is fundamental to the transformation goals of Ambisyon Natin 2040, the country’s overarching socioeconomic and development agenda, and in line with major health sector reforms and plans, the Philippine health sector had long embarked on policies, strategies and measures to ensure climate-resilient health systems as evidenced in its action plans and adaptation plan that are an integral part of the Philippine society’s response to climate change and health threats.

    This session, organized by the Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines, aims to demonstrate solutions and exchange best practices moving towards the development of a climate-resilient health system. It will highlight Philippine’s national and local solutions for sustainable climate adaptation strategies, and exhibit the country’s existing capacities and potentials on climate and disaster risk resilience.

    Jit Sohal, Regional Climate Manager of Health Care Without Harm in Southeast Asia, will speak alongside the Honorable Secretary Teodoro Herbosa (DOH), Dr. Caleb Dresser (Director of Healthcare Solutions, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health), and Sally Edwards (Coordinator, Health and the Environment, WHO-WPRO).

 

11:00 - 11:45 | Green Hospitals for a Healthier Future: Moving from Pledges to Impactful Actions (Panel) Speaker: Azeeza Rangunwala. Egyptian Pavillion, UNFCCC Blue zone.

11:30 - 12:30 | How Does Climate Change Affect Our Health? (Panel). Speaker: Laetania Belai Djandam. GCA Al Hur (Arena 1), UNFCCC Blue zone.

  • A growing body of research and data demonstrates how climate change impacts human health and wellbeing. This event will provide a high-level overview of this scientific evidence in an engaging way, to show the different ways in which climate change is already damaging human health today, and its likely long-term impacts. It will also introduce evidence on the health benefits of climate action.

    Frontline communities and representatives from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups will share the ways in which their health and lives are being impacted by climate change. The event will look to ‘bring the science to life’ with real-world examples and case studies.

    Laetania Belai Djandam, an Indigenous climate advocate from Indonesia and Climate Officer of Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia will be speaking at this event. This event is part of the COP28 Presidency Health Day programme.

 

11:30-12:45 | Public private partnerships for health care climate action (Panel). Speaker: Diana Picon Manyari, and Health Care Without Harm partner health systems Bupa, Common Spirit, University of California, and Pure Health. COP28 Green Zone TBD.

11:35–12:15 | Accelerated action on air quality in urban areas: a solution for climate mitigation and improved health outcomes (Panel). Speaker: Dr Arvind Kumar. UAE Pavillion, UNFCCC Blue zone.

  • Dr Arvind Kumar, founder trustee of Lung Care Foundation, Clean Air Champion, chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery - Chest Onco Surgery and Lung Transplantation at Medanta, Gurugram, and partner of HCWH, has been invited to speak at this event hosted by the Clean Air Fund in partnership with the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

 

12:30 - 14:00 | Emerging financing models at the intersection of climate and health (Panel). Speaker: Josh Karliner. International solar alliance pavillion.

14:45 - 15:45 | Prescribing Change: Shaping a Climate-Ready Healthcare Future (Panel). Co-organizer: Health Care Without Harm South East Asia. Greening Education Hub, UNFCCC Blue zone.

  • Medical and health professionals stand at the forefront of the climate crisis, serving as primary caregivers for patients impacted by climate change. To effectively diagnose, treat, and advocate for policies addressing the crisis, they must be equipped with the knowledge and skills derived from an integrated climate change curriculum. This event seeks to understand the prerequisites, challenges, success stories, and lessons learned in incorporating climate change into medical and health education, paving the way for future leaders in the fight against the climate crisis. This event is co-organized by YOUNGO Health Working Group, Health Care Without Harm, International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

15:00 - 16:30 | Adaptation, L&D Finance frameworks ensuring Transformation of South Asian cities towards Net Zero (Panel). Speaker: Dr Arvind Kumar. Side Event Room No 3, UNFCCC Blue zone.

17:00 - 18:00 | Connecting climate change and health research: interaction between air pollution and heat stress, and the co-benefits of emission reductions. Speaker: Azeeza Rangunwala. Innovation Norway Zone B6 Building 74.

 

December 4:

11:00 - 12:30 | Climate Crisis and Health Consequences (Health & Well Being) (Panel). Speaker: Dr Arvind Kumar. Rotary International Pavilion.

11:15 - 12:30 | Low Carbon Sustainable Health Systems (Panel). Co-chair: Diana Picon Manyari. Health Pavilion.

  • Health Care Without Harm played a leadership role in establishing the COP26 Health Programme in Glasgow in 2021, which then led to the establishment of the WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), which has 76 national government commitments to health care climate action. HCWH’s International Climate Director, Diana Picon Manyari co-chairs the ATACH low-carbon health systems working group and will participate in a panel with several health ministry representatives to discuss progress for health care decarbonization. 

    This session will focus on mitigating the impact of health systems on climate change via decarbonisation. Diana will use the example of Health Care Without Harm’s resources such as the Global Roadmap for Health Care Decarbonization, Climate Impact Checkup tool and its online course specially developed to support health care facilities and systems worldwide in their journey toward sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon healthcare.

    Diana will also stress the importance of connecting efforts from countries to those of sub-national and private health systems - and Health Care Without Harm’s efforts leading the Race to Zero campaign for the health sector. She will mention a case study from HCWH’s Health Care Climate Learning Initiative in which Thiruppuvanam Eye Care in Madurai, India, reduced emissions whilst extending services to previously excluded populations using telemedecine. Harnessing technology and design that closes the care loop with minimum visits, are key to reducing carbon emissions and is a win-win for patients and the provider.

 

December 5:

09:00 - 11:30 | Blue Sky Thinking to accelerate health care climate action (Closed Door Roundtable). Organizer: Health Care Without Harm. Innovation zone.

  • Health Care Without Harm, in collaboration with the UNFCCC High Level Climate Champion’s Race to Zero campaign and the World Health Organization is convening a small, thirty person roundtable conversation between a select multi-stakeholder group of non-state actor health systems, government health ministries, international organizations, civil society organizations and philanthropies to discuss progress made to date, crucial next steps and big picture ideas to accelerate health care sector alignment with the ambition of the Paris Agreement by building resilience and establishing a decarbonization trajectory that arrives at net zero emissions by 2050.

 

15:00 - 16:30 | 15:00 - 16:30 | Accelerating a just transition for healthy people and a healthy planet (Official side event). Organized by Health Care Without Harm, Global Climate and Health Alliance, LHTSM, Lancet Countdown for Climate and Health. Speakers: Dr Arvind Kumar, Shweta Narayan. SE Room 4, UNFCCC Blue zone.

  •  Dr Arvind Kumar, founder trustee of Lung Care Foundation, Clean Air Champion, chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery - Chest Onco Surgery and Lung Transplantation at Medanta, Gurugram, and partner of HCWH, has been invited to speak at this event. Co-organized by Health Care Without Harm - with key partners including Lancet Countdown, London School of Hygiene and Medicine and the Global Climate and Health Alliance - this event will gather some leading names in climate and health to discuss what a just transition looks like from a health perspective, and how we can get there.

    As we continue to witness the devastating impacts of climate change and the detrimental effects of fossil fuels on human health, it is time for us to make a compelling case for a just transition. This is necessary not only to mitigate climate change but to create healthier communities and promote social justice. 

    The Just Transition movement has gained significant traction in recent years, and health plays a central role. There is a complex interplay between environmental justice, occupational health, community wellbeing and the transition to a greener economy - health experts are needed to shed light on this.

 

December 6:

10:30-11:30 | M42 event: Unlocking sustainable healthcare: lessons from pioneers (Panel). Speakers: Josh Karliner, Diana Picon Manyari, and Health Care Without Harm partner health systems, Bupa, Common Spirit, Cleveland Clinic. M42 pavillion, COP28 Green Zone.

11:15 - 12:30 | C40 Cities event on Air Pollution and Fossil Fuels (Panel). Speaker: Shweta Narayan. Health Pavilion.

  • Shweta Narayan, International Climate and Health Campaigner for Health Care Without Harm, has been invited to speak at this event. It aims to establish that the public health impacts of continued fossil fuel burning are a fundamental climate justice issue that is affecting city residents, especially the most vulnerable. It also aims to increase global ambition on phasing out fossil fuels by demonstrating that city-led actions have the potential to save thousands of lives and significantly improve health outcomes, whilst creating thousands of good green jobs and ensuring greater energy security, compared to fossil gas expansion.

 

15:00 - 16:30 | Aligning Agendas Across UNFCCC and World Health Assembly. Speaker: Josh Karliner. Guatemala Pavilion, Blue Zone.

15:15 - 16.30 | Air Pollution and Health at WHO Pavillion (Panel). Co-organizer: Health Care Without Harm. Health Pavilion.

  • This session, co-organised by Health Care Without Harm, will bring together public health and human rights experts, civil society, and concerned citizens to strategize interventions against air pollution and climate change. It will emphasize the profound impact of air quality on noncommunicable diseases, proposing a paradigm shift toward a sustainable, fossil fuel-free future.

    The event aims to shed light on the twin threats of air pollution and climate change, showcasing their interconnectedness and advocating for urgent action. Key discussions will include a just transition to renewable energy, robust infrastructure for active transport, cleaner cooking technologies, and strategies used by environmental and human rights movements and civil society to organize for clean air. 

 

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