Climate, health actions could save 1.6 million lives yearly — WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed six climate and health actions that could save nearly 1.6 million lives annually, generate significant economic benefits, and reduce carbon emissions worldwide. The UN agency released its report ahead of the COP31 climate change conference, emphasizing the critical link between climate change and public health.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the climate crisis is also a health crisis, but many of the harms can be prevented using existing tools. The proposed measures include heat-health warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure for water and sanitation, improved hand hygiene, cleaner household energy sources, and more efficient fossil fuel pricing.

Implementing these actions could yield multiple benefits, including healthier populations, lower emissions, and stronger economies. The report estimates that the measures could prevent 16.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, generate up to $5.4 trillion in fiscal benefits, and save nearly $4 trillion in economic terms by preventing deaths, reducing disaster risks, and lowering healthcare costs.

While the study relied on ambitious scenarios and had data gaps, the WHO maintains that scaling up proven, affordable actions could save millions of lives, particularly in the countries that need it most. As global leaders prepare to attend the COP31 conference in Turkey, Tedros urged them to prioritize health in climate action.