Health benefits far outweigh the costs of meeting climate change goals -WHO

Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement could save about a million lives a year worldwide by 2050 through reductions in air pollution alone. The latest estimates from leading experts also indicate that the value of health gains from climate action would be approximately double the cost of mitigation policies at global level, and the benefit-to-cost ratio is even higher in countries such as China and India.

A WHO report launched today at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland highlights why health considerations are critical to the advancement of climate action and outlines key recommendations for policy makers.

Exposure to air pollution causes 7 million deaths worldwide every year and costs an estimated US$ 5.11 trillion in welfare losses globally. In the 15 countries that emit the most greenhouse gas emissions, the health impacts of air pollution are estimated to cost more than 4% of their GDP. Actions to meet the Paris goals would cost around 1% of global GDP.

“The Paris Agreement is potentially the strongest health agreement of this century,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “The evidence is clear that climate change is already having a serious impact on human lives and health. It threatens the basic elements we all need for good health - clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter - and will undermine decades of progress in global health. We can’t afford to delay action any further.”

The same human activities that are destabilizing the Earth’s climate also contribute directly to poor health. The main driver of climate change is fossil fuel combustion which is also a major contributor to air pollution.

“The true cost of climate change is felt in our hospitals and in our lungs. The health burden of polluting energy sources is now so high, that moving to cleaner and more sustainable choices for energy supply, transport and food systems effectively pays for itself,” says Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “When health is taken into account, climate change mitigation is an opportunity, not a cost.”

Switching to low-carbon energy sources will not only improve air quality but provide additional opportunities for immediate health benefits. For example, introducing active transport options such as cycling will help increase physical activity that can help prevent diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

WHO’s COP-24 Special Report: health and climate change provides recommendations for governments on how to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change and avoid the worst health impacts of this global challenge.

It describes how countries around the world are now taking action to protect lives from the impacts of climate change – but that the scale of support remains woefully inadequate, particularly for the small island developing states, and least developed countries. Only approximately 0.5% of multilateral climate funds dispersed for climate change adaptation have been allocated to health projects.

Pacific Island countries contribute 0.03% of greenhouse gas emissions, but they are among the most profoundly affected by its impacts. For the Pacific Island countries, urgent action to address climate change — including the outcome of COP24 this week — is crucial to the health of their people and their very existence.

“We now have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to protect health from climate change – from more resilient and sustainable healthcare facilities, to improved warning systems for extreme weather and infectious disease outbreaks. But the lack of investment is leaving the most vulnerable behind,” said Dr Joy St John, Assistant Director-General for Climate and Other Determinants of Health.

The report calls for countries to account for health in all cost-benefit analyses of climate change mitigation. It also recommends that countries use fiscal incentives such as carbon pricing and energy subsidies to incentivize sectors to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. It further encourages Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to remove existing barriers to supporting climate-resilient health systems.

WHO is working with countries to:
Assess the health gains that would result from the implementation of the existing Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement, and the potential for larger gains from the more ambitious action required to meet the goals of limiting global warming to 2oC or 1.5oC.
Ensure climate-resilient health systems, especially in the most vulnerable countries such as small island developing states (SIDS); and to promote climate change mitigation actions that maximize immediate and long-term health benefits, under a special initiative on climate change and health in SIDS, launched in partnership with the UNFCCC Secretariat and the Fijian Presidency of COP-23 and operationalized by the Pacific Islands Action Plan on Climate Change and Health.
Track national progress in protecting health from climate change and gaining the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation measures, through the WHO/UNFCCC Climate and Health country profiles, currently covering 45 countries, with 90 due for completion by the end of 2019.
WHO’s COP24 Special Report: health and climate change
Recommendations

Parties to the UNFCCC could advance climate, health and development objectives by:
Identifying and promoting actions that both cut carbon emissions and reduce air pollution, and by including specific commitments to cut emissions of Short Climate Pollutants in their National Determined Contributions.
Ensuring that the commitments to assess and safeguard health in the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement are reflected in the operational mechanisms at national and global levels.
Removing barriers to investment in health adaptation to climate change, with a focus on climate resilient health systems, and climate smart healthcare facilities.
Engagement with the health community, civil society and health professionals, to help them to mobilize collectively to promote climate action and health co-benefits.
Promoting the role of cities and sub-national governments in climate action benefiting health, within the UNFCCC framework.
Formal monitoring and reporting of the health progress resulting from climate actions to the global climate and health governance processes, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Inclusion of the health implications of mitigation and adaptation measures in economic and fiscal policy.

https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/05-12-2018-health-benefits-far-outweigh-the-costs-of-meeting-climate-change-goals

Measles cases spike globally due to gaps in vaccination coverage - WHO News Release 29 Nov 2018 Geneva

"Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease. It can cause debilitating or fatal complications, including encephalitis (an infection that leads to swelling of the brain), severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss. Babies and young children with malnutrition and weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable to complications and death." - WHO

29 November 2018 

News Release 

Geneva/Atlanta/New York

Reported measles cases spiked in 2017, as multiple countries experienced severe and protracted outbreaks of the disease. This is according to a new report published today by leading health organizations.






Because of gaps in vaccination coverage, measles outbreaks occurred in all regions, while there were an estimated 110 000 deaths related to the disease.


Using updated disease modelling data, the report provides the most comprehensive estimates of measles trends over the last 17 years. It shows that since 2000, over 21 million lives have been saved through measles immunizations. However, reported cases increased by more than 30 percent worldwide from 2016.





The Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Europe experienced the greatest upsurges in cases in 2017, with the Western Pacific the only World Health Organization (WHO) region where measles incidence fell.





“The resurgence of measles is of serious concern, with extended outbreaks occurring across regions, and particularly in countries that had achieved, or were close to achieving measles elimination,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General for Programmes at WHO. “Without urgent efforts to increase vaccination coverage and identify populations with unacceptable levels of under-, or unimmunized children, we risk losing decades of progress in protecting children and communities against this devastating, but entirely preventable disease.”





Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease. It can cause debilitating or fatal complications, including encephalitis (an infection that leads to swelling of the brain), severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss. Babies and young children with malnutrition and weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable to complications and death.




The disease is preventable through two doses of a safe and effective vaccine. For several years, however, global coverage with the first dose of measles vaccine has stalled at 85 percent. This is far short of the 95 percent needed to prevent outbreaks, and leaves many people, in many communities, susceptible to the disease. Second dose coverage stands at 67 percent.





“The increase in measles cases is deeply concerning, but not surprising,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Complacency about the disease and the spread of falsehoods about the vaccine in Europe, a collapsing health system in Venezuela and pockets of fragility and low immunization coverage in Africa are combining to bring about a global resurgence of measles after years of progress. Existing strategies need to change: more effort needs to go into increasing routine immunization coverage and strengthening health systems. Otherwise we will continue chasing one outbreak after another.”





Responding to the recent outbreaks, health agencies are calling for sustained investment in immunization systems, alongside efforts to strengthen routine vaccination services. These efforts must focus especially on reaching the poorest, most marginalized communities, including people affected by conflict and displacement.





The agencies also call for actions to build broad-based public support for immunizations, while tackling misinformation and hesitancy around vaccines where these exist.





“Sustained investments are needed to strengthen immunization service delivery and to use every opportunity for delivering vaccines to those who need them,” said Dr Robert Linkins, Branch Chief of Accelerated Disease Control and Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Measles & Rubella Initiative Management Team Chair.





The Measles and Rubella Initiative is a partnership formed in 2001 of the American Red Cross, CDC, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, and WHO.

Notes

‘Progress Toward Regional Measles Elimination — Worldwide, 2000–2017’ is a joint publication of WHO and CDC. It is published within the WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record and in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.


Launched in 2001, the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI) is led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, CDC, UNICEF and WHO. M&RI is committed to ensuring that no child dies from measles or is born with congenital rubella syndrome, and achieving the Global Vaccine Action Plan goal of measles and rubella elimination in at least five WHO regions by 2020.





Measles elimination is defined as the absence of endemic measles virus transmission in a region or other defined geographical area for more than 12 months. Conversely, a country is no longer considered to be measles free if the virus returns and transmission is sustained continuously for more than a year.

Further information


The report is available in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report as of November 29 2018 and in WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record from November 30 2018.


Further information on immunization progress is also contained within the 2018 Assessment Report of The Global Vaccine Action Plan by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, published in November 2018.

Air pollution and child health: prescribing clean air- WHO Report

Overview

This report summarizes the latest scientific knowledge on the links between exposure to air pollution and adverse health effects in children. It is intended to inform and motivate individual and collective action by health care professionals to prevent damage to children’s health from exposure to air pollution. Air pollution is a major environmental health threat. Exposure to fine particles in both the ambient environment and in the household causes about seven million premature deaths each year. Ambient air pollution (AAP) alone imposes enormous costs on the global economy, amounting to more than US$ 5 trillion in total welfare losses in 2013.



The evidence is clear: air pollution has a devastating impact on children’s health.

says the report

This public health crisis is receiving more attention, but one critical aspect is often overlooked: how air pollution affects children in uniquely damaging ways. Recent data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that air pollution has a vast and terrible impact on child health and survival. Globally, 93% of all children live in environments with air pollution levels above the WHO guidelines. More than one in every four deaths of children under 5 years is directly or indirectly related to environmental risks. Both AAP and household air pollution (HAP) contribute to respiratory tract infections that resulted in 543 000 deaths in children under 5 years in 2016.

Although air pollution is a global problem, the burden of disease attributable to particulate matter in air is heaviest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in the WHO African, South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions. LMICs in these regions – especially the African Region – have the highest levels of exposure to HAP due to the widespread use of polluting fuels and technologies for basic daily needs, such as cooking, heating and lighting (6). Poverty is correlated with high exposure to environmental health risks. Poverty can also compound the damaging health effects of air pollution, by limiting access to information, treatment and other health care resources.



Children are uniquely vulnerable to the damaging health effects of air pollution.

says the report

Children are society’s future. But they are also its most vulnerable members. The immense threat posed to their health by air pollution demands that health professionals respond with focused, urgent action. Although more rigorous research into how air pollution affects children’s health will continue to be valuable, there is already ample evidence to justify strong, swift action to prevent the damage it clearly produces. Health professionals must come together to address this threat as a priority, through collective, coordinated efforts. For the millions of children exposed to polluted air every day, there is little time to waste and so much to be gained.

Download
Air pollution and child health: prescribing clean air - advance copy (final version still in process)
pdf, 6.33Mb
Summary
Summary in other languages
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Chinese
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Source: 

http://www.who.int/ceh/publications/air-pollution-child-health/en/
Air pollution and child health: prescribing clean air
WHO reference number: WHO/CED/PHE/18.01
Publication date: 2018
Languages: English.
Summary: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish

WHO Declaration of Astana: New global commitment to primary health care for all at Astana conference

Declaration of Astana charts course to achieve universal health coverage, 40 years since declaration on primary health care in Alma-Ata

25 October 2018
News Release
Astana, Kazakhstan

Countries around the world today agreed to the Declaration of Astana, vowing to strengthen their primary health care systems as an essential step toward achieving universal health coverage. The Declaration of Astana reaffirms the historic 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata, the first time world leaders committed to primary health care.

“Today, instead of health for all, we have health for some,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “We all have a solemn responsibility to ensure that today’s declaration on primary health care enables every person, everywhere to exercise their fundamental right to health.”

While the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata laid a foundation for primary health care, progress over the past four decades has been uneven. At least half the world’s population lacks access to essential health services – including care for noncommunicable and communicable diseases, maternal and child health, mental health, and sexual and reproductive health.

“Although the world is a healthier place for children today than ever before, close to 6 million children die every year before their fifth birthday mostly from preventable causes, and more than 150 million are stunted,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “We as a global community can change that, by bringing quality health services close to those who need them. That’s what primary health care is about.”

The Declaration of Astana comes amid a growing global movement for greater investment in primary health care to achieve universal health coverage. Health resources have been overwhelmingly focused on single disease interventions rather than strong, comprehensive health systems – a gap highlighted by several health emergencies in recent years.

“Adoption of the Declaration at this global conference in Astana will set new directions for the development of primary health care as a basis of health care systems,” said Yelzhan Birtanov, Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. “The new Declaration reflects obligations of countries, people, communities, health care systems and partners to achieve healthier lives through sustainable primary health care.”

UNICEF and WHO will help governments and civil society to act on the Declaration of Astana and encourage them to back the movement. UNICEF and WHO will also support countries in reviewing the implementation of this Declaration, in cooperation with other partners.


Notes to editors:

The Global Conference on Primary Health Care is taking place from 25-26 October in Astana, Kazakhstan, co-hosted by WHO, UNICEF and the Government of Kazakhstan. Participants include ministers of health, finance, education and social welfare; health workers and patient advocates; youth delegates and activists; and leaders representing bilateral and multilateral institutions, global health advocacy organizations, civil society, academia, philanthropy, media and the private sector.


The Declaration of Astana, unanimously endorsed by all WHO Member States, makes pledges in four key areas: (1) make bold political choices for health across all sectors; (2) build sustainable primary health care; (3) empower individuals and communities; and (4) align stakeholder support to national policies, strategies and plans.

http://www.who.int/news-room/detail/25-10-2018-new-global-commitment-to-primary-health-care-for-all-at-astana-conference

SDG: Governments, businesses ‘walk the talk’ for investment in sustainable development: UN forum

Business and government leaders from around the world have gathered at a major United Nations conference in Geneva, in search of innovative and strategic solutions to complex investment and development challenges.


The 2018 World Investment Forum, organized by UNCTAD, the primary UN agency on trade and development, comes against the backdrop of declining investment flows around the world and concern over how that is affecting sustainable development, according to the agency.

It is now time “to walk the talk” and scale up private investments in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) said UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi, welcoming over 6,000 participantsfrom more than 160 countries, to the Forum.

“The remarkable turnout at this year’s Forum bears witness to the critical need for this global platform to tackle investment in sustainable development.”

In his remarks, Mr. Kituyi also underscored that continued engagement between governments is vital for refining international economic policies, especially when the support for multilateralism “is not always evident.”

Mutual solutions to shared problems, must “supersede” narrow interests, he stressed, calling on governments, the private sector, and all other stakeholders, to help ensure that good ideas and policies can be turned into action on the ground.


Our purpose is shared, we are working to build a sustainable inclusive future – this means, our efforts must be mutual — UNCTAD chief Mukhisa Kituyi

“Our purpose is shared, we are working to build a sustainable inclusive future – this means, our efforts must be mutual,” said the head of UNCTAD.

Also speaking at the opening of the Forum, María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the 73rd session of the General Assembly underscored the importance of partnership with the private sector, urging them to make “responsible investments” that respect human rights, environmental regulations and fiscal regulations.

“By fulfilling its moral and legal imperative, the sector can have a positive impact on the socio-economic conditions of a country; boost employment, productive investments, and knowledge and technology transfer,” she said.

Held from 22-26 October, at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, the 2018 edition of the biennial World Investment Forum features several high-profile events, including an investment summit, a global “sustainable stock exchanges” dialogue, a conference on investment agreements, thematic discussions, and other side events.

The opening day of the Forum also saw agencies from Bahrain, India, Lesotho and South Africa win top laurels at the UN Investment Promotion Awards for excellence in advancing investments in critical socio-economic sectors.

According to an UNCTAD news release, the Bahrain Economic Development Board, Invest India, Lesotho National Development Corporation, and InvestSA from South Africa won awards for boosting technology education, promoting renewable energy, employment, and waste-to-nutrient recycling, respectively.
INVESTMENT|SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/10/1023802

UN Day: ‘Never give up’: UN chief urges all who serve, marking UN Day

Marking the 2018 United Nations Day, which falls on 24 October, Secretary-General António Guterres is urging the men and women of the UN, and those they serve, to “never give up” tackling the world’s many challenges.


In a video released in advance of UN Day, Mr. Guterres said that, despite the odds and obstacles, and growing inequality “we don’t give up because we know by reducing inequality we increase hope and opportunity and peace around the world.”

The UN chief made clear the Organization’s determination to implement climate action, fight for human rights and the life of peace that everyone deserves to enjoy: “On United Nations Day, let us reaffirm our commitment. To repair broken trust. To heal our planet. To leave no one behind. To uphold dignity for one and all, as united nations.”

UN day commemorates the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.

Between October and November, visitors to UN Headquarters can see a photo exhibition called “People on the Move,” which is being displayed in the Visitor’s Lobby of the General Assembly building, in connection with 2018 UN Day.

The exhibition captures moments in time from the last seven decades of the millions of those who have, for one reason or another, become people on the move.

You can find out more about the UN charter, the history of the Organization and how to visit UN headquarters in Geneva here.



UN DAY

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/10/1023862

International lead poisoning prevention week of action 21–27 October 2018- WHO

The issue

Lead poisoning is preventable, yet the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (1) has estimated that, based on 2016 data, lead exposure accounted for 540 000 deaths and 13.9 million years lost to disability and death due to long-term health effects, with the highest burden in developing regions. Of particular concern is the role of lead exposure in the development of intellectual disability in children.

Even though there is wide recognition of the harmful effects of lead and many countries have taken action, exposure to lead, particularly in childhood, remains of key concern to health care providers and public health officials worldwide.

An important source of domestic lead exposure, particularly in children, is paint containing high levels of lead. These paints are still widely available and used in many countries for decorative purposes, although good substitutes without lead are available.

At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, governments called for lead paint to be phased out. The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (Lead Paint Alliance) was formed in 2011 to promote the phase-out of the manufacture and sale of paints containing lead and eventually to eliminate the risks that such paints pose. A key requirement for achieving this is the establishment of appropriate national regulatory frameworks to stop the manufacture, import, export, distribution, sale and use of lead paints and products coated with lead paints. In its Business Plan, the Lead Paint Alliance set a target that by 2020 all countries should have in place such a regulatory framework. In a survey carried out by WHO and the United Nations Environment Programme, (UN Environment), which jointly coordinate the Lead Paint Alliance, as of 30 June 2018 only 69 governments confirmed that they have legally binding control measures on lead paint.

But WHO has 194 Member States, so there is still, a significant gap to achieving the 2020 goal set by the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead paint that all countries should have banned lead paint.

In eliminating lead paint countries will contribute to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goal targets:
3.9: By 2030 substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
The objectives

During the campaign week, the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint aims to:
Raise awareness about health effects of lead poisoning;
Highlight countries and partners' efforts to prevent particularly childhood lead poisoning; and
Urge further action to eliminate lead paint through regulatory action at country level.
Related links
Report on 2017 campaign outcomes
pdf, 2.02Mb
Countries with legally binding controls on lead paint
Read more about Lead

Official website of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Painthttp://www.who.int/ipcs/lead_campaign/objectives/en/