Preparing for COP26 and more news from our Climate Change and Health Project

The IAP project on Climate Change and Health which was launched in late 2019 has made considerable progress in the last few months. The three working groups in Africa, Asia and the Americas are finalising their regional reports and a first draft of the global report is currently being discussed. A first journal article on the project was published in August in PLOS Medicine.

Focusing on Health

Recently IAP has been active in advising on multiple issues associated with tackling climate change, e.g. the 24 September communique “A Net Zero Climate-Resilient Future: Science, technology and the solutions for change“ and the 13 October Statement “Climate change and biodiversity: Interlinkages and policy options”. In this news item we reaffirm the critical importance of the IAP project in contributing to advancing understanding of the detrimental effects of climate change on health and the urgent identification of mitigation and adaptation solutions. 

IAP at COP26

From 31 October to 12 November, 2021, representatives of governments, international organisations, industry, media and civil society will convene in Glasgow for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties. This year, IAP will join their ranks and present its work on climate change and health in various events.

• 1 Nov, 14:30-15:30 GMT (NB! short notice time change)
  Climate change and health in Europe: knowledge development and sharing efforts
  Side Event at the Pavilion of the EU Commission (hybrid)
  co-organized by EASAC, EEA, CICERO Norway, Women Leaders for Planetary Health, focus of EASAC presentation on Eastern Mediterranean-Middle East Region
  To attend register here.
• 5 Nov, 11:00-13:00 GMT
  The role of academies of science in Climate Change policy actions
  Side Event at the Pavilion of the South African government (hybrid)
  organized by ASSAf, presentation will focus on the African CCH report
  Please click here to register for this virtual Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
• 10 Nov, 11:30-12:45 GMT
  Climate action to protect and promote health: sharing knowledge among regions to focus on solutions
  Official UNFCCC side event (with hybrid components)
  co-organized by ASSAf and the Royal Society with presentations by all four IAP regional networks
  Watch the livestream here or attend in person at the Lomond Auditorium (COP Blue zone pass required).

Other events with EASAC or IAP involvement:

• 9 Nov, 13:00-14:00 GMT
  Advancing global research on climate change and health: lessons learnt and ways forward
  Side Event at the WHO COP26 Health Pavilion
  Deoraj Caussy (Chair of the NASAC Working Group on Climate Change and Health) will contribute to the discussion as panellist
  To attend register here. To watch the livestream click here.
• 12 Nov, 13:00-14:00 GMT
  Decarbonisation of Road Transport
  Side Event at the Pavilion of the EU Commission (online)
  co-organized by EASAC, Potsdam Institute for climate impact research; Peddlesmart
  To attend register here.

Regional reports

The three regional reports for Africa, Asia and the Americas which are being produced as part of the IAP project on climate change and health are expected to be published before the end of this year. An executive summary of the report for Asia as well as the report itself will be launched in time for COP26. A short overview of the upcoming report for the Americas has also been published for this occasion.

Recent events

Among recent events was the contribution of the African Working Group to the Africa Climate Week on 26 September, 2021. The 60-minute session presented and discussed key findings from the upcoming NASAC report on climate change and health. A recording of the event is available here.

Report on Climate Change and Health in the Eastern Mediterranean – Middle East Region

The recently published report "Tackling the effects of climate change on health in the Mediterranean and surrounding regions", which summarises the discussions, conclusions, and policy recommendations from a joint workshop by IAP, EASAC, and the Cyprus Institute, was launched on occasion of the 2nd International Conference on Climate Change in The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East in Cyprus on 13-14 October 2021. The conference, preceded by two days of pre-conference workshops, was held to discuss the outcomes of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Climate Change Initiative of the Cyprus Government, which aims to bring the region together to tackle climate change. The importance of science advice for sustainable policy making was emphasized during a panel discussion on ‘The policy framework in the real world: preconditions for implementation’, and the IAP global project on climate change and health was presented as an example of concerted scientific engagement in policy advice on a global, multifaceted threat.

Future events

We are also currently preparing for a contribution to the 2022 AAAS Annual Meeting. A scientific session on “Climate Action to Protect and Promote Health: Building and Sharing the Evidence” will be available on the conference platform in early 2022 and a live panel discussion with speakers Victor Dzau (NAM), Deoraj Caussy (NASAC), Sherilee Harper (IANAS) and Moderator Andy Haines will be aired on February 19, 2022, 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM US ET.

The draft IAP project global report, drawing on the regional reports, is currently being reviewed by the editorial team and is expected to be published during the first part of 2022.