Training course organized by ASPHER and the European Climate and Health Observatory.

The Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) Partnership will host its Annual Conference 2026 as a one-day pre-conference session at the European Public Health Conference in Bilbao. The event will bring together policymakers, researchers, institutions, practitioners, ecosystems and THCS-funded projects to explore how health and care systems can be transformed to address today’s most pressing societal challenges. Aligned with the priorities of the European public health community and with the overarching theme of the EPH Conference, the event will focus on interconnected entry points for system transformation: climate resilience, circularity, urban and rural health systems, equity, and research and innovation priorities.

This event organized by WHO/Europe builds on the Call to Action of the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH), launched at the 79th World Health Assembly. The discussion will draw on experiences from Arctic and Nordic cooperation, including work through the Arctic Council, national climate and health initiatives, indigenous-led approaches, and health-system transformation efforts already underway. The overall objective is to identify practical implementation priorities while strengthening Nordic, Arctic and international collaboration on climate and health. We understand far more about climate and health than we did a decade ago and the Arctic communities are at the forefront of developing innovative adaptive responses, which can inspire action across Europe and the World. The challenge now is to strengthen implementation while continuing to build the knowledge, partnerships, implementation capacity and accountability needed to support action.

The 2026 European Public Health (EPH) Conference in Bilbao will focus on“Urban and global synergies: shaping the future of public health with climate resilience, equity and innovation.” The conference will explore how public health can respond to the interconnected challenges of climate change, urbanisation, health inequities, and sustainability, bringing together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to identify innovative solutions for healthier and more resilient communities. Key themes include climate-resilient health systems, the role of cities as drivers of health and sustainability, reducing inequalities in both urban and rural settings, and designing environments that support physical and mental wellbeing.