Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO

An independent pan-European commission, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), has called for the climate crisis to be declared a global public health emergency to prevent millions of unnecessary deaths. The commission’s report, presented ahead of the WHO’s World Health Assembly, argues that the climate crisis poses an immediate and long-term threat to health, economic stability, food security, and national security. It cites the spread of vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya, extreme weather events, global heating, food insecurity, and air pollution as key drivers for declaring a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (Pheic). The 11-member commission, including former health and climate ministers, emphasizes that a Pheic declaration would trigger a coordinated international response, though it would not reverse climate change alone. Katrín Jakobsdóttir, former prime minister of Iceland and chair of the commission, warned that inaction could lead to millions more deaths or life-changing illnesses. Sir Andrew Haines, the commission’s chief scientific adviser, added that current emission rates will accelerate health risks, including heat-related deaths, floods, infectious diseases, wildfire pollution, preterm births, and food insecurity. The report also highlights the role of fossil fuel subsidies, which cause 600,000 premature deaths annually in Europe and cost the region €444 billion yearly. In 12 European countries, these subsidies exceed 10% of national health budgets, while in four, they surpass the entire health budget. Jakobsdóttir criticized this as a 'public health failure,' urging governments to halt new fossil fuel subsidies and redrilling efforts, particularly amid geopolitical tensions like the Iran crisis. The commission urged governments to address disinformation, expand climate health impact assessments, and integrate health leaders more actively into climate policy debates. It stressed that current energy policies are unsustainable and directly harm public health, calling for a shift away from fossil fuels to mitigate further health crises. The report will be discussed by European ministers ahead of the WHO’s World Health Assembly, where its recommendations may influence global health priorities. Previous Pheic declarations include Covid and Mpox, underscoring the urgency of treating climate change as a health emergency requiring immediate action.