COP30: WHO, Brazil Launch Plan to Protect Health from Heat
Belém/Geneva: The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat — it’s already a public‑health disaster, with over 540,000 heat‑related deaths every year and up to one in twelve hospitals worldwide threatened by climate-related disruptions. That warning comes in a new special report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO), together with the Government of Brazil and Brazil’s Ministry of Health, at COP30 in Belém.
The report, COP30 Special Report on Health and Climate Change: Delivering the Belém Health Action Plan, argues that rising temperatures and stretched health systems are costing lives now, and calls for urgent, coordinated global action to safeguard communities and health infrastructure. It builds on the Belém Health Action Plan, unveiled on 13 November 2025 during COP30’s Health Day, a flagship effort of Brazil’s Presidency of the conference.
“The climate crisis is a health crisis—not in the distant future, but here and now,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director‑General. He noted that the report not only documents how climate change is harming people and systems, but also highlights concrete examples of what nations can do — and are doing — to respond.
The report estimates that between 3.3 and 3.6 billion people now live in regions highly vulnerable to climate change. It also finds that hospitals face a 41 per cent greater risk of damage from extreme weather than they did in 1990 — a danger that could double for many facilities by mid-century if the world does not decarbonise rapidly. The health sector itself contributes about 5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the need for a shift toward low-carbon, resilient systems.
But the report also identifies serious gaps in how countries plan for adaptation. Only 54 per cent of national health adaptation plans currently assess the risk to health facilities. Adaptation studies frequently ignore key dimensions: fewer than 30 per cent factor in income, only 20 per cent address gender, and less than 1 per cent include people with disabilities. Mental health has also been neglected; the Belém Health Action Plan calls for integrating mental health and psychosocial support into climate resilience strategies, with protocols for trauma care, training for health workers, and systems to deliver psychological first aid.
Professor Nick Watts, chair of the Expert Advisory Group behind the report, put the case clearly: “Protecting health systems is one of the smartest investments any country can make. Allocating just 7 per cent of adaptation finance to health would safeguard billions of people and keep essential services operating during climate shocks — when our patients most need them.”
The report also recognises progress. Between 2015 and 2023, the number of countries with national Multi‑Hazard Early Warning Systems doubled to 101, covering about two-thirds of the global population. But that progress is uneven: only 46 per cent of Least Developed Countries and 39 per cent of Small Island Developing States have fully functional systems.
A critical component of the Belém Health Action Plan is governance rooted in social participation. Brazil’s companion report, Social Participation, Climate and Health, co-developed with civil society and community groups, argues that climate action must centre the voices of historically marginalised people, including Indigenous communities, Quilombolas, and women. Public consultations on this report were held before COP30, bringing in diverse examples of community-led decision-making. Brazil’s Minister of Health, Dr Alexandre Padilha, said that by releasing these reports, “we reaffirm the importance of COP30 as the COP of Truth … The Belém Health Action Plan offers tools to turn scientific evidence into concrete action.”
At the same time, the plan calls for inclusive infrastructure investment. Under its “Innovation and Production” pillar, it proposes climate-adapted hospitals powered by renewable energy, resilient supply chains, and digital health tools, while ensuring that health services remain accessible to people with disabilities. The plan also stresses the importance of mental health support, arguing for the mainstreaming of psychological first aid, training of health workers, and integration of psychosocial services into emergency response.
To back this vision, the plan aligns with global policy commitments. It draws on decisions from the World Health Assembly and links to key United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) goals, including enhancing adaptive capacity under the Paris Agreement.
Financial backing is already lining up. A coalition of over 35 philanthropic organisations has pledged an initial US$300 million to support implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan — focusing on research, innovation, early warning systems, and health infrastructure. In parallel, the newly launched Global Coalition of Academies of Medicine on Climate and Health has pledged to support the plan’s three strategic lines, mobilising science and expertise to guide resilient health systems.
Dr Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), reiterated the urgency during COP30’s Health Day, urging ministers to embed the Belém Health Action Plan into national climate strategies. He called on financial institutions and development partners to close resource gaps, while also stressing the need to centre social justice in response.
The Belém Health Action Plan’s guiding principles—health equity, climate justice, and participatory governance—are not rhetorical. Its three strategic lines — surveillance and monitoring, evidence-based policies and capacity-building, and innovation and production — set a clear roadmap for translating ambition into reality. Drawing on more than 70 global case studies, the report maps practical interventions already delivering impact: from community-driven early warning systems, to green hospital design, to climate-sensitive digital tools.
As the world gathers in Belém, the message from WHO, Brazil, and their partners is stark but hopeful: the tools to protect health in a changing climate exist, the evidence is strong, and now is the time to act — with justice, inclusion, and urgency.
– global bihari bureau
