Climate Change Negotiations and Health

It is increasingly evident that environmental challenges have an impact on human health, reinforcing existing risks. For instance, it is estimated that climate change will cause around 250,000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 – linked to issues ranging from malnutrition to heat stress, with direct costs to health expected to be between USD 2-4 billion/year by 2030. Also, the current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the important interlinkages between human health and the state of our environment and economies.

With the recognition that the equilibrium between people and planet is one of the fundamental issues of our time, this online course delves into the interlinkages between climate change and health, with particular reference to the international climate change policy process and the need for a healthy a green recovery from COVID-19.

Specifically, the course aims to support delegates attending the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and participating in climate diplomacy. It was updated with specific content related to the most recent COPs. It also provides valuable insights for the professionals involved in the development and implementation of national climate change and health policies.

The ultimate objective of the course is to support participants in addressing health within climate change negotiations and national policy processes, as well as in considering climate change in health policies.  

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain how climate change affects health;
• Recognize the international climate change policy framework;
• Identify the Parties and groups of Parties to the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, including their respective commitments and negotiation positions;
• Describe the outcomes of past negotiation sessions;
• Discuss the key issues in the ongoing international climate change negotiations, particularly in relation to the promotion of health priorities and the integration of health in all policies.