Belém, Brazil — The Brazilian Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, launched the first-of-its-kind Belém health action plan on Thursday to strengthen global health systems against rising climate threats.
The action plan lays out practical measures to help countries prepare their health systems for climate impacts already unfolding worldwide — from heat-related illnesses and vector-borne diseases to food insecurity, floods, and mental health challenges.
“Health is the most compelling reason for climate action, but for too long, health has been a footnote in climate negotiations,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general at the World Health Organization. “The Belém Health Action Plan changes that, laying out concrete actions countries can take to build healthier, more resilient communities in a warming world.”