Human health is deeply interconnected with our planet’s climate and the health of the biosphere. As the impacts of the climate and nature crises escalate, so do the consequences on health.
The burning of fossil fuels is the primary cause of climate change, but it is also responsible for air pollution. The Health Effects Institute estimates that air pollution is responsible for about 8.1 million premature deaths annually.
At the same time, extreme weather events such as storms, floods, and landslides, which are becoming more frequent and more intense because of climate change, have caused over two million deaths between 1970 and 2021.
Heat waves and wildfires are also getting more frequent and more intense. Droughts, floods and shifting seasons are exacerbating malnutrition and infectious diseases through food insecurity and lack of access to clean water.
With ecosystems being reshaped by deforestation, urbanization and rising global temperatures, animals and humans are forced into closer contact, raising the risk for pandemics and bringing forth an era of new and intensified disease outbreaks.
Climate change also impacts mental health. Experiencing its direct impacts can cause trauma, distress and even mental illness, while contributing to longer-term ‘climate anxiety’ and ‘eco-stress’, especially among young people.
The drivers and impacts of climate change perpetuate or aggravate cycles of inequality, deepening health and social inequities within and between countries. Low- and middle-income countries and marginalized communities, who are least equipped to cope with the effects, bear the brunt of these health impacts.
All these changes are happening while the health sector’s ability to provide quality care is threatened by the impacts of climate change, including damaged and destroyed health infrastructure that limits access to care.
UNDP’s work in the nexus of health, environment and climate change includes supporting countries to integrate health activities in their national climate pledges, green their health sectors, and build climate-resilient, smart and low-emission health services.
Through its climate change mitigation work, UNDP supports sustainable procurement initiatives to ensure health products have the lowest possible climate impact, helps governments adopt environmentally and socially sound practices to manage healthcare waste and facilitates access to renewable energy for health infrastructure. Furthermore, UNDP helps governments to address air pollution through air pollution investment cases, legal assessments and improved multisectoral collaboration. UNDP also supports countries address health considerations in their efforts to adapt to climate change. This includes providing advice and tools towards the integration of health into national adaptation policy and planning, strengthening access to climate information and early warning systems, fostering resilience for food security, improving access to water and strengthening climate-resilient health systems.
