COP28 is expected to lift the political profile of the climate-health nexus, and mainstream health in the global climate change agenda. The overall Health Programme is currently under development, and more information will be made available soon.

COP28 in collaboration with WHO and other main partners will organise the first ever Health day and climate-health ministerial. Moreover, for the third time, WHO and Wellcome Trust will host COP28 Health Pavilion. This will generate a watershed moment for climate and health, convening a wide variety of actors including ministers, climate and health professionals, civil society organisations, youth representatives and business, and will bring the climate-health agenda into the mainstream. WHO in partnership with members of the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate Change and Health (ATACH) will continue promoting commitments to building  climate resilient and sustainable low carbon health systems.

Ahead of COP28, the online course “Climate Change Negotiations and Health” will be updated with content relevant specifically to the upcoming negotiations. The online course features key information on climate change and its impacts on human health, provides an overview of the climate change negotiations so far, and considers entry points to address health issues and priorities within climate change negotiations and policies.

WHO in close collaboration with the health community will also prepare submissions and statements to address key health-relevant issues under negotiations at COP28 and provide support to negotiators on how to include health in different negotiating streams.

For more information on the COP28 UAE Presidency’s vision, please refer to the official Letter to Parties from the COP President-Designate, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber here.