Resolution
REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE EM/RC70/R.5 EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN October 2023
Seventieth session Agenda item 3(d)
Climate change, health and environment: a regional framework for action, 2023–2029
The Regional Committee,
Having reviewed the technical paper on climate change, health and environment: a regional framework for action, 2023–2029;1
Recalling resolutions WHA61.19 (2008) of the Sixty-first World Health Assembly and EM/RC55/R.8 (2008) of the Regional Committee on climate change and health, as well as Regional Committee resolution EM/RC60/R.5 (2013) on the regional strategy on health and the environment 2014–2019 and resolution EM/RC64/R.3 (2017), which endorsed the framework for action on climate change and health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (2017–2021);
Further recalling the outcomes of the 2021 Global Conference on Health and Climate Change, which launched the WHO COP26 Health Programme for building climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems and facilities;
Noting that 14 countries and territories of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Bahrain, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen) have already adopted the COP26 Health Programme;
Wishing to build further on the momentum generated by the 2022 Global Conference on Health and Climate Change (COP27), and mindful that health will be on the agenda of the upcoming 2023 Global Conference (COP28);
Recognizing that climate change is already driving an increase in morbidity and mortality and that if no additional action is taken, a significant further increase is expected in coming decades, and that it will affect the functioning of public health and health care systems;
Recognizing that ministries of health have a leadership role not only in the governance, regulation and surveillance of health, but also in triggering the actions and interventions needed by other sectors to protect health from climate change and environmental risks;
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1. ENDORSES the framework for action on climate change and health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (2023–2029);
2. URGES Member States to:
2.1 Designate and empower national focal points to facilitate and coordinate climate change and health programmes at national level;
2.2 Prepare, implement and monitor the progress of national plans of action on climate change and health 2023–2029 guided by the framework for action;
2.3 Allocate adequate domestic resources and facilitate access to climate change funds for the implementation of national plans of action;
2.4 Accelerate the planning and implementation of climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable public health systems, in line with the WHO COP26 Health Programme and adapted to their county context;
2.5 Ensure that impacts on health are considered in all national climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes;
3. REQUESTS the Regional Director to:
3.1 Support Member States to develop and implement national plans of action to put health at the heart of climate action, through:
3.1.1 supporting the participation of Member States in the technical dialogue, workshops and consultations for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)-related funds, processes and activities;
3.1.2 providing technical support to countries to build climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems, to protect their population’s health from the devasting impacts of climate change;
3.1.3 promoting the need to improve access to renewable energy in health care facilities;
3.2 Strengthen partnerships with regional and United Nations organizations and other stakeholders to facilitate implementation of the regional framework and the related national plans of action;
3.3 Establish a Technical Advisory Group to monitor and document the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on health in the Region;
3.4 Report on progress in implementing the regional framework to the Regional Committee at its 72nd, 74th and 76th sessions.