McKinsey Health Institute, 20 August 2024
Health-related climate adaptation: How to innovate and scale global action for local needs
Solutions for adapting healthcare to meet the threats posed by climate change remain immature. Enabling innovation and scaling solutions is a critical priority to protect vulnerable populations around the world.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2023 (COP28) yielded an unprecedented focus on the intersection of climate change and human health. More than 120 countries endorsed the COP28 United Arab Emirates (UAE) Declaration on Climate and Health and a billion dollars in funding was committed to tackling the issue, building on momentum from a range of earlier initiatives. The topic is expected to see continued emphasis at the 2024 G20 summit in Brazil, followed by the COP29 Azerbaijan and COP 30 Brazil presidencies, which will focus on climate-finance goals and nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The Climate Change and Health resolution recently adopted at the 77th World Health Assembly provides further impetus for the field.