The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of the lack of resources to combat the consequences that climate change will have in the coming years for people’s health. And this despite the fact that countries are increasingly aware of the need to combat the climate emergency.
Less than 10% of countries can cover the entire health cost
According to the data considered by the international organization, obtained through a macro survey in 101 countries, despite currently up to two thirds of the contributions of each country with respect to the Paris Agreement mention health and that healthcare is one of the five sectors most affected by the climate emergency, this has not translated into an increase in the financial support that the sector needs.
The health sector is one of the five most affected by the climate emergency, but very few countries have increased their budget to face the health problems of the future.
The organization warns that it is worrying “Only 38% of those surveyed have the financial resources necessary to execute, even if only partially, a national strategy [a nivel sanitario]and less than 10% allocate sufficient resources for its full execution“.
““Climate change is not only a bill that future generations will have to pay, but it is already being paid now through people’s health.”said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, warning that address the health policies necessary to tackle the climate emergency “It is a moral imperative that countries have the necessary resources to fight this emergency and safeguard current and future health.”
“It is worrying that only 38% of countries have the necessary financing to implement health plans against climate change and that less than 10% allocate sufficient resources for their full implementation.”
Less than half of the countries have health plans
Among other notable data, the WHO survey reveals that only 48% of countries have carried out an assessment of climate risks to public healthamong which stand out thermal stress, cases of injuries caused by extreme weather phenomena, as well as vector, food or water-borne diseases, such as cholera, dengue or malaria. However, the report says, around 60% of these countries report that the results of these assessments have had little or no influence on the allocation of human and financial resources to meet priorities. The solution to this problem, according to the International Health Organization, is that issues related to this discipline are incorporated into national and international plans aimed at tackling the effects of climate change.
Emissions increase health costs
The WHO recently reported on the profitability of reducing CO emissions2 in relation to the health expenses they generate and that compliance with the commitments of The Paris Accords could save nearly a million lives a year worldwide by 2050. However, according to the report, many countries are not able to take advantage of this potential. The survey shows that Less than 25% of countries have clear collaboration mechanisms between the health sector and the sectors that most influence climate change and air pollution, such as transportation, electricity generation or domestic energy.
In fact, according to MarÃa Neira, director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health of the World Health Organization, “if health were systematically taken into account in the nationally determined contributions – as well as in the Plans Adaptation Plans, climate change financing pledges and other national communications to COP25 – the Paris Agreement could become the most important international health agreement of the century.”
Greater presence of health in the fight against climate change
To tackle the problem, the WHO has emphasized the need to correct some imbalances. On the one hand, the organization points out, Each country should implement the plans developed, for which they must ensure that the health sector actively participates in all open initiatives. to alleviate the effects of climate change. On the other hand, they warn that it is necessary integrate the health field into decision-making bodiesgiven the enormous benefits that the adoption of climate-related measures has in the health sector.