This session will focus on the climate crisis, the largest public health crisis of our time. The WHO estimates that nearly 1 in 4 deaths are attributable to preventable environmental causes. Today, we are seeing a steep rise in heart conditions, cancers, respiratory illnesses and infectious diseases linked to environmental factors, with vulnerable populations most affected. This bears an enormous burden not only on patient populations, but also on our societies and economies, with poor health estimated to cost the global economy 15% of global GDP.
Expert speakers will identify scalable action and opportunities to mitigate the climate crisis and help systems adapt to the significant health challenges we face now and in the future. Best practices of public-private partnerships will be shared, demonstrating that the transition to sustainable, equitable, and resilient health systems can be achieved.
Key questions to be addressed will include the following, including through audience Q&A:
- How does climate change affect health and vice versa?
- What are the economic and social impacts of the climate-health nexus?
- What actions must be taken to strengthen the resilience of health systems, and what best practices can be scaled?