MEDIA ADVISORY: COP26 Health Programme

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9 November, 2021

COP26 Health Programme Media Advisory

Momentum Building for Country Commitments to Climate Resilient and Sustainable Low Carbon Health Systems
COP26 Health Programme Climate Action for Health session and press conference focused on increasing robust country ambitions for climate-smart health care

WHAT:
Partners of the COP26 Health Programme, COP26 Presidency, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Care Without Harm, will hold a session, Climate Action for Health, followed by a press conference. The event will announce the growing number of countries committed to climate-resilient and low carbon, sustainable health systems, including those that have set a target date to reach net-zero emissions, and the accumulative percentage of global health care emissions potentially abated from these commitments. Panelists will also discuss the health co-benefits argument for improving health through climate change action. The session and the press conference will include representatives from several countries that have committed, representatives of the COP26 Health Programme, including the WHO, Foreign Common & Development Office, UK and Health Care Without Harm.

WHEN and WHERE:
- Climate Action for Health session, 9 November, 1000-1115 (GMT), Action Room 1, Hydro Centre, Glasgow. The public webcast can be followed on the COP26 platform: https://unfccc-cop26.streamworld.de/program
- Country Commitments to the COP26 Health Programme press conference, 9 November 1200- 1230 (GMT), Press Room Giant's Causeway, Area H. The public webcast can be followed on the COP26 platform: https://unfccc-cop26.streamworld.de/program
WHO:
Session speakers include:
- Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC
- Minister Wendy Morton, Europe and Americas, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
- Rt. Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
- Rt. Gordon Brown, WHO Ambassador for Global Health Financing
- Minister Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, Economy, Public Enterprises, Civil Service, Communications, Fiji
- Adm. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, USA
- Minister (temporary) Dr Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Egypt
- Emma Walmsley, Chief Executive Officer, GSK
- Henry Gonzalez, Director Private Sector Facility, Green Climate Fund
- Julieta Martinez, Founder, TREMENDAS
Press conference participants include:
- Minster Wendy Morton, Europe and Americas, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- Dr. Maria Neira, Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO
- Minister Aminath Shauna, Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Maldives
- Josh Karliner, International Director of Program and Strategy, Health Care Without Harm
- Other government representatives (TBC)

About the COP26 Health Programme
The COP26 Health Programme is supported by the UK government as the Presidency of COP26, the World Health Organization (WHO), Health Care Without Harm, and the UNFCCC Climate Champions. The COP26 Health Programme enables transformational change to bring stronger health focus and ambition to COP26. Initiatives under the COP26 Health Programme include:
- Building climate resilient health systems.
- Developing low carbon sustainable health systems.
- Adaptation research for health.
- The inclusion of health priorities in Nationally Determined Contributions.
- Raising the voice of health professionals as advocates for stronger ambition on climate change.

Media contacts at COP26:
Arthur Wyns, WHO, wynsa@who.int, WhatsApp: +49 151 6311 3879
Media contacts offsite:
Pamela Wellner, WhatsApp: +1 415 730 0105
Ana Belluscio, WhatsApp: +54 911 3381 7678, Health Care Without Harm
press@hcwh.org

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