A high-level roundtable dedicated to strengthening the role of healthcare in the global climate agenda has been held within the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, Report informs.
The event was co-organized by Azerbaijan, Brazil, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The meeting was held within the Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health, established during Azerbaijan's presidency of COP29 together with partner countries and WHO to ensure the continuity of cooperation in the field of climate and health.
The event featured speeches by COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Health of Brazil Alexandre Padilha, Director General for European Union and International Relations of the Ministry of Health of Türkiye Aziz Alper Biten, as well as WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Participants discussed the progress achieved in the field of climate and health since COP29, including the Belém Action Plan on Health presented at COP30, and the activities of the WHO Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH).
In addition, a discussion took place on the Antalya Initiative for Resilient Health Systems (AIR) proposed by Türkiye, aimed at increasing the resilience of health systems to climate change.
Special attention was paid to strengthening the capacity of health systems to withstand the negative consequences of climate change, attracting necessary financial resources, and fulfilling international commitments in climate and health at the national level.
Participants also considered opportunities for expanding international cooperation and exchanging best practices among countries.