Invest in climate action for Health: cut emissions, clean our air, save lives

COP 25 will be a very important political platform in 2019 t launch initiatives addressing the health impacts of climate change, as well as to dramatically raise the visibility of the health-climate nexus for the renewal of the Paris Agreement Commitments. 

This side event, organized by the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Chile, CCAC, WMO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNOHCHR respectively, will provide an opportunity to present  key health initiatives/commitments from the UNSG Climate Summit to accelerate  the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.  Special attention will be given to concrete ongoing actions to: 

1. save lives, cut carbon emissions, clean our air and fulfill the human right to health;
2. increase investment on health and water resilience in the context of climate change; and
3. mainstream women’s and children’s health into climate policy.

A short report will be issued following the meeting to provide key messages from the health community to the COP25 negotiators.

See here for a full list of CCAC events at COP25

Agenda

18:30 to 18:45 - Welcoming remarks

• Dr María Luisa Carcedo, Minister of Health, Spain
• Mr. Andrés Landerretche, COP25 Presidency Coordinator
• World Health Organization
• Keynote: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Former Governor of California (TBC)
• Spanish HL representative (to be announced closer to the event)

18:45 to 19:00 - Technical PPTs

• Brief introduction to the State of the Global Climate,  Ms Elena Manaenkova, Deputy Secretary-General
• Health Impacts from Climate Change and Health Opportunities from Climate Action, by Dr Diarmid-Campbell-Lendrum, Head of Health and Climate Change Programme, WHO

19:00 to 19:40 - Panel discussion

• Health commitments from the SG Climate Action Summit, Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition of Spain
• The right to Health, Environment and Clean Air, Mr. David. R. Boyd as the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment
• How health benefits of climate actions can/should be integrated in government/local  policies, programs and communications, such as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans and Long-term Strategies, Mr Daniele Violetti, Director Finance, Technology and Capacity Building Programme, UNFCCC
• The role of youth and young medical students in promoting health and key political and social driver of climate change actions, Omnia El Omrani, IFMSA Liaison Officer for Public Health Issues and Climate Change advocacy
• Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) Adolescent and Youth Constituency, David Imbago Jácome, UNICEF Youth representative

19:40 to 19:50 - Questions and Answers 

19:50 to 20:00 - Closing Remarks