COP27 & Health: World Leaders Must Deliver Plans For Fossil Fuel Phase-out & Climate Finance

Sharm El-Sheikh, 6 November 2022:- As the COP27 Climate Summit opens this week in Egypt, the Global Climate and Health Alliance calls on governments to protect the health of people worldwide by developing a clear plan for delivering finance to lower income countries for the loss and damage caused by climate change, while committing to a deadline for a full and just fossil fuel phase-out. 

“World leaders have two weeks to demonstrate the urgent action they will take to protect people’s health from the worst impacts of the climate crisis; this action must include a just and rapid phase out of fossil fuels, and the provision of financing to support low income countries in addressing climate change, including for mitigation, adaptation, and for loss and damage”, said Jeni Miller, Executive Director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance.

Loss and Damage
“During COP27, governments must establish a clear process for delivering finance to lower income countries for the loss and damage these countries are experiencing from climate change, including for the damage to people’s health, and to health systems”, said Miller. “As they respond to the impacts of a climate crisis not of their making - such as extreme weather events - vulnerable low income countries desperately need these funds to provide essential supports to protect the health and well being of their citizens.”

Fossil Fuel Phase Out
“In Sharm El-Sheikh, governments must also commit to a deadline for full and just fossil fuel phase-out as a public health imperative, and define how this will be delivered”, said Miller. “Only a full phase out of fossil fuels will deliver the health benefits of cleaner air and protect people from the harm to their health caused by the extraction, transport, processing and burning of oil, gas and coal.”

In September 2022, the Global Climate and Health Alliance, which brings together over 130 health organisations from around the word to tackle climate change and to protect and promote public health, joined the World Health Organization and over 200 health organizations in calling on governments to urgently develop and implement a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty to end global dependence on fossil fuels, in order to protect the health of people around the world.

Climate Finance
“At COP27, rich nations must immediately meet the long overdue $100B global climate finance goal to support low income countries in their climate mitigation and adaptation, including making up the shortfall in what was delivered between 2020-2021”, said Jess Beagley, Policy Lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance. “Half of this funding should be allocated to climate adaptation, and much greater investment must be made in health systems and programs.” 

Health Metrics
“During the next two weeks of COP27 and in subsequent months, negotiators must integrate health metrics into the Global Goal on Adaptation and the Global Stocktake as key measures for assessing global progress on delivering the Paris Agreement”, said Beagley. “This is clear and immediate climate action that governments must take to protect people’s health and wellbeing.”

“While the climate catastrophe unfolds before our eyes, with countless impacts already affecting people’s health around the world, there are many clear, positive steps that governments can and must take”, said Miller. “Ending the fossil fuel era - and the health impacts and conflicts that it feeds - by providing massive public investment in cleaner forms of energy, such as wind and solar will ensure that people of all countries gain access to the energy they need, without having their health sacrificed to air pollution.” 

“COP27 is the chance for world leaders to set the direction that ensures that the paths leading out of our current challenges – from massive flooding in Pakistan, to wars in Ukraine, Yemen, Ethiopia and elsewhere, to the global economic downturn – are all paths leading to a healthier and more sustainable future”, concluded Miller.

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