Written by: Fatima Younis
A new report issued by the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) has revealed a major gap in national climate plans, as most major carbon-emitting nations lack the inclusion of health impacts within their climate commitments.
Significant Disparity Between Developed and Developing Nations
A global ranking covering 117 national climate plans showed that low- and middle-income countries topped the list of nations most focused on health in their plans, with 19 out of the top 20 positions held by them. In contrast, major economies that contribute more than half of global emissions barely consider health in their commitments submitted to the United Nations ahead of the COP31 summit.
Major Powers' Performance in the Evaluation
Ten large economies scored very low grades, including China, the United States, India, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, with this group contributing more than 60% of global emissions. India scored only 2 points, while Saudi Arabia scored 7 points, China and the United Kingdom scored 9 points each, and the United States scored 7 points.
Leading Models in Health Protection
Colombia topped the ranking with 29 points, followed by Nigeria in second place with 25 points, and Cambodia in third place with 24 points. These countries are characterized by linking climate action to protecting lives, reducing pollutants such as black carbon, and training health personnel to face climate shocks.
Funding Challenges and Connection to Reality
The report pointed out that less than 10% of the plans provide a financial estimate for the health costs resulting from climate change. The World Health Organization also stressed that the biggest challenge lies in the lack of funding, as less than 0.5% of multilateral climate finance reaches the health sector, threatening the ability of health systems to withstand growing crises.
