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GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — At a high-level side event of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) on May 18, 2026, global health ministers and World Health Organization (WHO) officials solidified a historic diplomatic shift: for the first time in the history of the UN Climate Change Conference, “dynamic and resilient health systems” will officially sit on the formal action agenda for COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.
Co-organized by Brazil and Türkiye with sponsorship from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the summit convened leaders from eight nations to accelerate the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP). Originally launched at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the plan aims to safeguard public health against escalating environmental threats.
“Don’t tell me there’s no hope at all — together we stand, divided we fall,” said Dr. Mariângela Simão, Brazil’s Vice-Minister for Environmental Health Surveillance, quoting Pink Floyd to emphasize that cross-border partnerships are no longer optional.
With extreme weather events displacing communities and shifting the geography of infectious diseases worldwide, global health authorities are shifting from high-level declarations to concrete infrastructure investments.
The Belém Health Action Plan: Moving to Implementation
The BHAP is built upon three foundational pillars: health equity, climate justice, and social participation. Currently endorsed by 33 countries and backed by 50 international organizations, the framework acts as an operational roadmap to prepare healthcare systems for climate-related disruptions.
Brazil’s Minister of Health, Dr. Alexandre Padilha, opened the session by declaring an end to the “era of declarations” and the beginning of the “era of implementation.” To demonstrate this transition, Padilha highlighted Brazil’s domestic initiative, AdaptaSUS. This national program directs funding into:
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Resilient physical infrastructure
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Dedicated climate-health research
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Artificial intelligence (AI) integrated service data
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Localized environmental early warning systems
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Specialized health workforce training
Medical experts not present at the assembly note that this shift toward structural adaptation is critical. According to data from the WHO, nearly 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly susceptible to climate change. Between 2030 and 2050, climate-induced malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress are projected to cause an additional 250,000 deaths annually worldwide.
A Historic First for COP31
A major milestone of the event was delivered by Dr. Aziz Alper Biten, Director-General for EU and Foreign Affairs at Türkiye’s Ministry of Health. Dr. Biten confirmed that health systems have been elevated to a priority item on the formal COP31 action agenda. Türkiye, a member of the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), also committed to hosting the dedicated “Health Day” initiative at the upcoming summit in Antalya.
This systemic integration is being supported across hemispheres. Professor Zoe Wainer, Director-General of Australia’s Centre for Disease Control and representative for the COP31 Presidency of Negotiations, outlined Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy alongside its Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative. Furthermore, Australia confirmed that Fiji will host the Pre-COP gathering in October 2026, centering Pacific island priorities such as keeping global warming below 1.5°C and expanding direct access to climate adaptation finance.
Bridging Abstract Global Policy to Daily Human Health
Dr. Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care at the WHO, urged delegates to translate long-term global warming projections into the immediate realities of human health. He noted that health serves as the most relatable, persuasive entry point for climate advocacy.
To reinforce this, Dr. Farrar confirmed that climate and health have been designated as the top priority in the WHO’s General Programme of Work 14. The WHO also launched its new advocacy, communications, and partnerships plan, titled “WHO at the heart of the health response to climate change, air pollution and energy poverty (2025–2028)”, developed with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.
The real-world scalability of these frameworks was demonstrated by the Baku Continuity Coalition roundtable, which reviewed progress across recent COP presidencies:
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Nigeria Scaling Up: Silvia Llosa, representing the United Kingdom (COP26), highlighted Nigeria’s Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services program. The initiative is scaling up clean energy and resilient water systems from an initial 39 pilot facilities to 11,000 primary healthcare centers nationwide using World Bank backing.
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North African Strategies: Egypt’s Dr. Amr Kandil presented his nation’s newly integrated Strategic Framework for Health Adaptation to Climate Change, alongside their One Health National Strategy, which recognizes that human, animal, and environmental health are fundamentally linked.
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Diplomatic Foundations: Representatives from the UAE and Azerbaijan reviewed how COP28’s inaugural Health Day (resulting in a declaration signed by 148 countries) laid the groundwork for health to become a mainstay in formal UN negotiations.
The Public Health Outlook and Next Steps
The momentum established in Geneva is scheduled to continue through several key international checkpoints over the summer:
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June 2026: The Bonn Climate Change Conference and London Climate Action Week.
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June 25, 2026: France’s Minister of Health, Dr. Stéphanie Rist, announced that France, alongside the WHO and ATACH, will host a high-level meeting to reinforce political commitments on resilient health systems, building on the One Health Summit held in Lyon on April 7.
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Western Pacific Launch: Dr. Saia Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, launched the Climate and Health Co-Benefits Challenge, telling delegates, “The time to operate has come.”
In her closing remarks, Dr. Vanessa Kerry, the WHO Director-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health, called on remaining nations to endorse the BHAP. She emphasized that protecting health requires reaching outside traditional medical boundaries and embedding climate resilience into urban planning, labor policies, and the agendas of heads of state. This effort is being supported financially by the Climate and Health Funders Coalition, a group of 22 philanthropic members represented by Dr. Naveen Rao of the Rockefeller Foundation, who called for a proactive public health playbook.
For health-conscious citizens and medical professionals alike, these developments signify that climate change is no longer treated strictly as an environmental or economic issue, but as an immediate challenge to global public health delivery and infrastructure safety.
Reference Section
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Official Document/Update: Departmental Update, World Health Organization / Ministry of Health Brazil & Türkiye (Published May 20, 2026).
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals before making any health-related decisions or changes to your treatment plan. The information presented here is based on current research and expert opinions, which may evolve as new evidence emerges.
