WHO Regional Office for Europe activities on climate change and health

Vision and political commitment

The WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) is one of six regional offices of the World Health Organization, serving the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region. In this capacity, WHO/Europe works to identify policy options to prevent, prepare for and respond to the health effects of climate change. It supports Member States in selecting and implementing the most appropriate strategies, policies and measures. WHO/Europe collaborates with a range of public health stakeholders in the Region to ensure coordinated action in developing and implementing effective health policies and strengthening health systems.

WHO puts health at the heart of the climate change agenda

Since the 1990s, WHO/Europe has advocated action on climate-related health risks, including through the European Environment and Health Process (EHP). At the 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP26), for the first time in the history of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference, a dedicated ‘health programme’ was promoted to support the development of climate-resilient, low-carbon and sustainable health systems. This milestone was followed by the first ever ‘health day’ and the endorsement of the COP28 Declaration on climate and health, and the establishment of the Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health at COP29. Building on these landmarks, the World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on climate change and health calls for stronger health sector engagement in climate action, acknowledging the urgent need for both adaptation and mitigation measures. Climate change has also been recognized as one of the six strategic priorities in the global health agenda agreed upon by WHO Member States for 2024-2028 under the 14^th General Programme of Work.

At the regional level, the European Programme of Work 2020-2025: United Action for Better Health sets out a vision for how WHO/Europe can support country health authorities to meet citizens' expectations of thriving in healthy communities, where public health action and appropriate public policies, including those on climate change mitigation and adaptation, ensure better lives and well-being. In 2023, WHO/Europe declared the climate crisis and extreme weather as a public health emergency for the first time, and the Second European Programme of Work 2026-2030 (EPW2), currently under development, will include climate change and health as one of its key pillars. EPW2 will promote resilience and health security, drive adaptation and mitigation actions that benefit health, and strengthen the capacity of health systems in the Region to become climate-resilient, low-carbon and sustainable, with inclusive solutions for vulnerable populations.

The Budapest Declaration: accelerating action for healthier people, a thriving planet and a sustainable future

The Seventh Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, held in Budapest in July 2023, was a landmark in setting the regional environment and health agenda. The ministers of health and environment of the countries of the WHO European Region adopted the Budapest Declaration, which sets out political commitments and actions to address the health risks posed by the triple crisis of climate change, environmental pollution and biodiversity loss, including in the context of the recovery from COVID-19. The Declaration prioritizes urgent, far-reaching action on the health challenges of this triple crisis and aims to accelerate the just transition to resilient, healthy, equitable and sustainable societies.

By adopting the Budapest Declaration, countries have committed to tackling pollution and climate change, ensuring access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene and other essential services for all, integrating nature and biodiversity considerations into policies, and promoting a clean, safe and healthy built environment. The Declaration supports several key efforts within the European Union (EU) policy context, including the European Green Deal, the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Global Health Strategy, and the EU Regulation on serious cross-border health threats.

The Declaration sets out commitments for health systems and promotes the engagement of the health sector in climate change, making the case for health as a key argument for climate policymaking. In terms of adaptation policy, a key commitment is to develop, update and implement national health adaptation plans, either as standalone documents or as a part of broader national adaptation planning efforts. The second edition of the paper Zero regrets: scaling up action on climate change mitigation and adaptation for health in the WHO European Region, launched at the Ministerial Conference, provides a comprehensive backdrop and supports the adoption and implementation of the commitments on climate change and health embodied in the Declaration through a portfolio of high-level asks and concrete implementation actions.

The ‘Roadmap for healthier people, a thriving planet and a sustainable future 2023–2030’ is an integral part of the Declaration and outlines a series of actions to expedite the necessary transitions. To accelerate the implementation of the commitments, the EHP Partnerships have been established as a new action-oriented mechanism. These partnerships aim to bring together countries and partners with a shared interest in a specific thematic area to work together on joint activities. The Partnership for Health Sector Climate Action provides a regional community of practice to facilitate the sharing of approaches and experiences across countries, and to promote mutual learning and networking as countries chart pathways and solutions for developing climate-resilient, low-carbon and environmentally sustainable health systems.

Working Group on Health in Climate Change

The Working Group on Health in Climate Change (HIC) was established in 2012 under the mandate of the European Environment and Health Task Force (EHTF), at the request of the Member States of the WHO European Region, to steer the agenda on protecting health from the adverse effects of climate change. The EHTF serves as the leading international body for the implementation and monitoring of the EHP, particularly focusing on the commitments outlined in the Ministerial Declarations on Environment and Health.

The HIC Working Group, composed of nominated representatives of Member States and partners, facilitates dialogue and cooperation among countries in the WHO European Region and other stakeholders. It promotes and advocates for the integration of health considerations into national climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and acts as a catalyst for the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the Budapest Declaration commitments on climate change and health at international, national and subnational levels. The Working Group provides a platform for sharing experiences and innovations, promoting tools, communicating evidence and demonstrating good practice on climate change and health, and fostering partnership among countries and stakeholders.

Developing knowledge and evidence

WHO/Europe is an important knowledge developer in the field of climate change and health. In 2018, WHO/Europe published a report, Public health and climate change adaptation policies in the European Union, which analyses developments in health policies for climate change adaptation in EU countries and compiles a selection of good practice case studies.

As the WHO European Region is the fastest warming region in the world, WHO/Europe has published key documents to support Member States with up-to-date information and guidance on heat and health, including the review: Heat and health in the WHO European Region: updated evidence for effective prevention. With financial support from the European Commission, WHO/Europe is developing an updated, second edition of the guidance on heat–health action plans (HHAPs). This edition aims to support decision-makers and practitioners in the health sector and beyond in developing coordinated, comprehensive HHAPs. Although primarily aimed at Member States in the WHO European Region, the guidance is expected to be of international relevance.

Floods are the most frequent natural disaster in the WHO European Region, with one-tenth of the urban population living in flood-prone areas. To address the health impacts of floods, WHO/Europe has developed guidance, including the publications Flooding: managing health risks in the WHO European Region and Floods and health: fact sheets for health professionals. A dedicated web page provides a one-stop-shop for WHO resources on floods. Under the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health, work is underway to strengthen the climate resilience of water and sanitation services, including to floods.

The Health and Climate Change Country Profiles initiative is the foundation of WHO’s work to monitor national and global progress on health and climate change. Developed in collaboration with the national health authorities, these profiles provide data-driven snapshots of climate hazards and the expected health impacts of climate change, track current policy responses, and summarize the key priorities for national climate and health action. Globally, more than 80 countries have participated in this initiative since its launch in 2015, including several Member States from the WHO European Region.