The Lancet Planetary Health, 19 July 2025

Health workforce as a climate and health priority in nationally determined contributions

The health workforce is a core component of climate-resilient health systems. However, there is a projected global shortage of 11·1 million health workers by 2030, with more than 5 million of this shortfall in the WHO African region. These shortages are most severe in countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change and have the fewest resources to combat its effects.

Inequities in the global distribution of health workers are exacerbated by their migration from low-income countries to high-income countries in search of better opportunities. Employers in high-income countries contribute to this trend by actively recruiting licensed health professionals—often without considering the strain this approach places on the health systems of low-income countries.