Africa’s climate negotiators put health at the centre of climate action ahead of Bonn talks
African climate negotiators led by Nana Dr Antwi-Boasiako Amoah emphasized integrating health into climate action ahead of Bonn’s UNFCCC talks, citing rising diseases, infrastructure damage, and underfunded health systems. They urged inclusion of health indicators in the Global Goal on Adaptation and called for increased climate finance to address Africa’s vulnerabilities, with COP31 seen as a pivotal moment for shaping global priorities.
African negotiators have prioritized health as a central focus in global climate discussions, framing climate change as a public health crisis. Nana Dr Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), delivered this message during a Climate and Health Capacity Building Workshop in Bonn, Germany, ahead of the UNFCCC’s SB64 session. The workshop brought together negotiators, experts, and representatives from institutions like WHO-AFRO, Africa CDC, Amref Health Africa, and IISD, underlining the interconnectedness of climate and health challenges across the continent. Rising temperatures, floods, droughts, food insecurity, and air pollution are straining Africa’s health systems, with climate-sensitive diseases spreading and critical infrastructure damaged by extreme weather. Dr Amoah highlighted progress in including health within the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), calling for health-specific indicators in the Belém Adaptation Indicators and Baku Adaptation Roadmap. He stressed the need for adaptation finance to strengthen health systems, early warning systems, and emergency preparedness. The workshop built on the African Negotiators Climate and Health Curriculum launched in Dar es Salaam last year, noting escalating climate-health risks despite limited funding for the health sector. African negotiators are pushing for developed nations to fulfill climate finance pledges and integrate health into loss and damage discussions, given the severe social and economic costs. Delegates described COP31, hosted in Africa, as a historic opportunity to shape global climate priorities. Young negotiators and technical experts were recognized for their role in sustaining Africa’s climate and health agenda. Participants emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between stakeholders to address the continent’s unique vulnerabilities. The workshop underscored the urgency of aligning adaptation efforts with Africa’s health realities to mitigate the growing climate-health crisis.
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