Climate risks to health are growing along with lack of prioritised funding

Safeguarding human health from climate change impacts is more urgent than ever, yet most countries are not acting fully on their plans to achieve this, according to the first global snapshot of progress on climate change and health. The new report drew on data from 101 countries surveyed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and reported in 2018 WHO Health and Climate Change Survey Report.

Countries are increasingly prioritising climate change and health, with half of the countries surveyed have developed a national health and climate change strategy or plan. Worryingly, only about 38% have finances in place to even partially implement their national strategy of policy, and fewer than 10% channelling resources to implement it completely.

The survey found that countries have difficulties in accessing international climate finance to protect the health of their people. Over 75% reported a lack of information on opportunities to access climate finance, over 60% a lack of connection of health actors to the climate finance processes, and over 50% a lack of capacity to prepare proposals.