Global Climate and Health Alliance

This #WorldHealthDay, health professionals, advocates, and communities around the world are rising up for a Global Day of Action—demanding bold climate leadership, an end to fossil fuel dependence, and a just and equitable transition to clean energy that protects health and secures a liveable future for mothers, babies, and generations to come. The fossil fuel-driven climate crisis is accelerating—and so are related public health emergencies. Pregnant women and newborns face increased risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, and lifelong health complications from pollution, toxic exposures, and extreme heat. Extreme heat specifically heightens the risks of preterm birth, stillbirth, and pregnancy complications. Climate-driven disasters disrupt prenatal care, cause displacement, and raise maternal mortality rates. Infectious diseases like Zika and malaria thrive in warming conditions, threatening fetal development, while food and water insecurity result in maternal malnutrition and adverse birth outcomes. #AirPollution is a maternal and newborn health emergency. Toxic emissions from burning fossil fuels cause pregnancy complications and developmental harm in infants. Air pollution increases risks of miscarriage, low birth weight, and respiratory issues. Children suffer disproportionately—air pollution causes nearly 20% of newborn deaths globally, and childhood asthma rates are rising. These impacts are preventable and unacceptable. Health inequities are deepening. Low- and middle-income countries, least responsible for the climate crisis, are suffering its worst consequences. Climate-driven disasters and diseases are overwhelming health systems, jeopardizing the delivery of essential maternal and newborn care. A healthy beginning—and a hopeful future—depend on urgent action. This year’s World Health Day theme, “Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Futures,” is a call to confront the root causes of climate and health injustice. Transforming harmful systems that fuel both the climate crisis and health disparities is essential to advance health equity. We cannot achieve a hopeful future without a rapid, just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels—toward clean energy solutions that prioritize health, equity, and resilience. As health professionals, we see climate change as a public health crisis disproportionately harming vulnerable communities.  On April 7th, we call on health leaders and institutions to: ✅ Center maternal, newborn, and public health in climate policy ✅ Champion a just, equitable transition away from fossil fuels to clean and healthy energy ✅ Demand health-first climate action that puts people over polluters Join the global movement: Speak out. Mobilize your networks. Tag policymakers and institutions. Let them know: a secure and hopeful future begins with #ClimateJustice and a fossil fuel-free world. #FossilFree4Health #MaternalHealth #NewbornHealth #JustTransition #HealthyFutures #CleanAirForAll #GlobalPublicHealthWeek 

Webinar: ⛽ Fueling Health or Harm? A Just Transition to Clean Energy in the Global South  Date: April 9, 2025  Time: 3:00–4:00 PM CET  Where: Online (Zoom) 🖊️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/dV9GMYCv In many parts of the Global South, #fossilfuel dependence is driving #airpollution, deepening #health inequities, and undermining #energysecurity. Join us for a powerful 60-minute webinar exploring how we can transition to clean, healthy, and equitable energy systems that protect public health and build resilience. Hear from global experts on: 👉 The health toll of fossil fuels and tools and strategies to advocate for clean energy solutions, 👉 What a Just Transition looks like for vulnerable communities 👉 Real-life examples of solar-powered healthcare 🗣️ Speakers: Marina Belén Romanello, PhD, The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change Anabella Rosemberg, Climate Action Network International Bonang Mpinane, Partners in Health Lesotho Moderator: Hannah Marcus, World Federation Public Health Association Brought to you by the Global Climate and Health Alliance and the Environmental Health Working Group, WFPHA.

GCHA Executive Director presenting the commitment of our global climate and health alliance towards #cleanair during the WHO Second Global Conference on #AirPollution & #Health. For us, working for better air for us means: 🫱 Working in collaboration with all partners and allies for a healthy, just and equitable phase-out of #fossilfuels and a full transition to clean and renewable energy for all, 🗣️ Advocating for clean air and #climateaction at local, national and international levels and, this year in particular, for the integration of health into National Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0). “As the conference concludes, leaders will present their commitments under the conference pledge and outline strategies to tackle air pollution, reinforcing the urgent need for collective action and accountability. This is a pivotal moment to turn ambition into action and drive tangible progress toward a future where everyone breathes clean air.” says WHO.

"#CleanAir is a #publichealth necessity, and the profound and far-reaching health impacts of #airpollution demand that governments make urgent and coordinated responses. We must reconsider air pollution not as an emissions reduction or technology challenge, but as a critical and preventable threat to the public health and wellbeing of people. 🫰 Air pollution places a significant burden on public health systems, costing the global economy 8.1 trillion in health damages in 2019. 🥵 Respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and cancers linked to pollution overwhelm hospitals, particularly in countries where healthcare resources are already stretched. Treating these illnesses requires extensive medical care, from emergency visits to long-term treatments, increasing the workload for health professionals and diverting resources from other pressing health needs. 💡 Investing in cleaner air will reduce hospital admissions and cut healthcare costs. By integrating air quality measures into public health planning, governments can equip health professionals with the tools and resources needed to mitigate impacts, conduct research, and implement public health initiatives." writes Dr. Yuri Carvajal board member of the Global Climate and Health Alliance and President of the Environment Department of @colmedchile https://lnkd.in/drjcm2jj

Full room for the high-level roundtable we had the great honour to co-organise with Clean Air Fund in #Cartagena for the WHO Second Global Conference on #AirPollution and #Health. We convened policymakers, health leaders, researchers, and representatives from multilateral organisations to discuss actionable strategies for integrating air pollution responses into health systems. By fostering dialogue, sharing knowledge, and promoting collaboration, this high-level roundtable catalyzed transformative actions to address the health impacts of air pollution. 💪 The examples of sucessfull #CleanAir policies do exist and they are here to be replicated! >>> More in our "Clean Air, Healthy Lives" policy roadmap https://tr.ee/iKEFeVXXkW

The World Health Organization’s conference on air pollution and health opens this week in Cartagena, Colombia. Dr Yuri Carvajal is a board member of the Global Climate and Health Alliance and President of the Environment Department of The Medical College of Chile. Here he writes for Context Newsroom: "Clean air is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Yet as the World Health Organization’s second global conference on air pollution and health opens in Cartagena, Colombia, millions of people globally are breathing toxic air with devastating health consequences." "There are many ways to counter this: cut air pollution at the source, nurture nature’s ability to clean the air, and pump government investment into national health systems. As doctors, we know where we need to get to, and we have just released a roadmap to get there. " Read on: https://lnkd.in/drjcm2jj #airpollution

Inviting submissions to showcase youth leadership in health equity and decolonization We’re excited to invite you to participate in GCHA’s Youth Climate and Health Network (YCHN) led social media campaign for the upcoming Global Public Health Week (GPHW) on April 7-11. GPHW is an annual event organized by the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA). It brings together institutions, communities, and public health leaders worldwide to recognize the critical contributions of public health and its workforce in building healthier societies. This year’s themes are centered on decolonizing public health, promoting health equity, and reimagining global health. For the campaign, we are looking to feature creative submissions from YCHN members and youths across the globe, spotlighting real-world examples of youth-led initiatives that reflect the GPHW themes in relationship to climate and health. The goal is to showcase diverse perspectives, and bring youth voices into the conversation. SUBMISSION THEMES Your submission should align with the overarching theme of GPHW 2025: “Redefining Equity: Decolonizing Public Health for a Healthier World”  AND should also feature the intersection of climate change and health in some way. As indicated by GPHW 2025, submissions could be related to areas such as; Decolonizing public health practices to address historical and systemic inequities. Promoting health equity by recognizing diverse cultural and social contexts. Reimagining global health strategies to build a fairer, healthier future. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES We welcome submissions in any of the below formats. Submissions may be individual work or collaborative efforts. Categories include: Multimedia and audiovisual (short videos, podcasts, documentaries, storytelling narrations) Literary works (poems, essays, short stories, research papers, case studies, op-eds) Visual arts (drawings, paintings, photography, digital arts, infographics) Performing arts ( songs, music, spoken word, dance) Submissions are limited to a maximum of two per person/team, across any category. Submissions are due 30 March 2025. Please send in your submissions here: https://lnkd.in/d9bCEFdf

“Clean air is not a 'nice to have' - it’s a public health necessity, and the profound and far-reaching health impacts of air pollution demand an urgent, coordinated, and strategic response from governments worldwide”, said Shweta Narayan, roadmap author and Campaign Lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance Campaign, which is made up of over 200 health professional and health civil society organisations and networks from around the world. “To address this crisis effectively, governments must reframe air pollution not merely as a challenge of emissions reductions or technology, but as a critical and preventable threat to the public health and well-being of people, which requires urgent, health-centered action to protect lives and communities. The solutions already exist - governments cannot afford to dither on taking action”. #airpollution #WHO #health

⚠️Trust in COP processes must be restored! #COP30 ✋ Along with 200➕ orgs, advocates & citizens we are calling on COP30 Presidency & UNFCCC to confront high-polluting industries’ undue influence in climate negotiations. These have long undermined integrity at COPs and prevented effective climate action. Only with decisive reforms can we trust that COP30 will deliver meaningful outcomes for the planet and its people. 🩺 From GCHA and the 200+ organisations across 125 countries part of our alliance, we know the influence of harmful industries can be successfully reduced in policymaking spaces, that is why we urge the COP30 Presidency and UNFCCC to take action. Read the open letter https://lnkd.in/dXAM5nzR

🫁 Next week, governments, health leaders, researchers, and multilateral organisations will gather in #Cartagena Colombia for the Second WHO Global Conference on #AirPollution and #Health. The GCHA community will be there in full force – amplifying our members’ voices, convening decision-makers, and sharing real-world examples of how tackling air pollution can deliver win-win solutions for #publichealth and #climateaction.  👉 Find all you need to know about this conference ➕ useful links including WHO's Clean Air Declaration, programme and events: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d2auZ9mm Health professionals are seeing first-hand how air pollution is now the second leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for 7 million premature deaths annually. In fact air pollution surpasses tobacco and poor diet as a global risk factor. Its devastating impact on public health – contributing to cardiovascular diseases, respiratory disorders, and cancers – demands urgent, coordinated action.  Beyond its human toll, air pollution is also crippling economies and straining health systems. The global cost of air pollution-related health damage stands at $8.1 trillion (6.1% of global GDP). Increased hospitalisations, medical treatments, lost productivity, and premature deaths place enormous financial burdens on healthcare systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, air pollution is preventable. #PhasingOutFossilFuels, expanding air quality monitoring, and implementing health-centred clean air policies are critical steps to reducing its deadly impact. Solutions don’t have to come at a high cost. Our new report to be released at the conference, highlights how lower and middle income countries are already making progress, with air pollution reduction efforts yielding widespread health and economic benefits.  The Second WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health offers comes at a critical moment. The gathering is about action, implementation, and cross-sector collaboration to drive real policy change.  🖊️ We urge all our networks to add their voices and sign the WHO’s Clean Air Declaration. 🕴 The GCHA team and our members will be on the ground throughout the week, convening discussions with decision makers and advocating for urgent action. Our message is clear: Act now to strengthen health systems and eliminate fossil fuels. Tackle air pollution – save lives, improve health, and reduce healthcare costs. 👉 Don't forget to check out our dedicated page and stay tuned for more updates : https://lnkd.in/d2auZ9mm