Description
Climate change is one of the defining public health challenges of the 21st century, with impacts ranging from heat-related mortality and air pollution to food insecurity, vector-borne diseases, and mental health risks. While health received increased political attention at COP30, important questions remain about how effectively health considerations are integrated into climate mitigation, adaptation, finance, and just transition frameworks.
At the same time, global climate governance is evolving— alongside the traditional consensus-based UN process, a form of “two-speed multilateralism” is emerging, where coalitions of willing countries and non-state actors advance practical initiatives and voluntary roadmaps. As the world looks toward COP31 and the implementation of the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health, this evolving governance landscape raises important questions about how climate action can better advance health outcomes.
This hybrid event will bring together governments, international organizations, civil society, and academia to take stock of COP30 outcomes, explore opportunities to strengthen the climate–health agenda in the lead-up to COP31, and examine how new coalitions and political initiatives can accelerate action.
SPEAKERS:
Opening Remarks by Suerie Moon | Co-Director, Global Health Centre and Professor of Practice, International Relations, Geneva Graduate Institute
- Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, Head of Unit, Climate Change, Energy, and Air Quality, World Health Organization
- Miguel Ruiz Botero, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Colombia to the United Nations in Geneva
- Margarita Gutierrez, Policy Advisor, Friends of Climate and Health
Moderator: Daniela Morich, Head of Policy Engagement & Global Health Platform, Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute
Additional speakers will be announced closer to the event.
CO-HOSTED by
The Global Health Centre's International Geneva Global Health Platform, the World Health Organisation, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Geneva Environment Network.
