On December 4, 2011, Health Care Without Harm is co-organized the First Climate and Health Summit, which will take place parallel to the UNFCCC meetings at the Tropicana Hotel in Durban, South Africa.
The event brought key health sector actors from around the world together to discuss the impacts of climate change on public health and solutions that promote greater health, as well as economic equity between and within nations.
Background
Despite the major health dimensions of the climate crisis, and despite the significant health co-benefits of curbing greenhouse gas emissions, public health has not played a central role in the climate debate.
In recent years however, the health sector has become increasingly engaged and active in addressing climate and health at the local, national and global levels.
The First Global Climate and Health Summit aimed to bring together key health sector actors to discuss the impacts of climate change on public health and solutions that promote greater health and economic equity between and within nations.
The Summit was geared to build the profile of the health sector vis-à-vis the COP17 negotiations in Durban, and to also help build a broader, longer lasting global movement for a healthy climate.
Objectives
- Raise the profile of public health and the health sector vis-à-vis the public debate and global negotiations on climate change.
- Catalyze greater health sector engagement on climate issues in a broad diversity of countries.
- Build a common, more coordinated approach to addressing the health impacts of climate change.
- Develop shared advocacy strategies for strong national and global policy measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change.