Secretary-General: Impact on Human Health is Atrocious

Our environment is being attacked on all fronts: 

Pollution poisoning land and water. 

Biodiversity destroyed at an appalling rate. 

And of course, the climate crisis.  

Across the world, lives and livelihoods are being ripped apart, and sustainable development gains left in tatters – as disasters accelerate.  

The impact on human health is atrocious: 

Extreme heat kills. So does water contamination. Destroyed lands and harvests push up prices and aggravate hunger. Our changing climate inflames the spread of disease – from malaria to dengue fever. 

The vulnerable and the poorer pay the highest price. And we absolutely need to tackle the point where climate and health meet. 

And that is where WHO’s role is fundamental. 

As we speak, emissions keep rising. 

The 1.5 degree limit is on a knife’s edge. 

We absolutely need a dramatic reduction in emissions – starting now. 

The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must apply, but all countries must make an extra effort. 

And we must accelerate the pace of the energy transformation with justice, in order to make sure that all countries can benefit.  

Renewables already largely match fossil fuels in global installed power capacity.  

And clean energy investments are racing ahead of fossil fuels. 

Renewables are the cheapest and fastest new electricity almost everywhere. 

And we can’t forget the 700 million people still without electricity in the world. 

Renewables boost energy security and sovereignty, liberating countries from volatile fossil fuel markets, connecting people to power in the most remote locations and powering sustainable development.  

And renewables and electrification don’t churn out toxic air pollution – which today kills seven million people every year. 

We need governments to build on the progress of last year’s biodiversity COP, particularly reaching an ambitious agreement on finance.  

We need a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution – this year. 

And we need to make COP30 a success. 

I urge you to demonstrate how multilateralism counts, addressing the world's needs in these difficult and divided times. 

And to come forward by September with ambitious new national climate plans – or NDCs that show the way: 

That cover all emissions and the whole economy; align with the 1.5 degree limit; and advance the global energy transition goals agreed at COP28.  

We need to tackle injustices in the critical minerals value chain, and to ensure developing countries receive maximum benefit from their resources, as recommended by the United Nations Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. 

And we need you standing firm on finance for a just, equitable transition. 

Developed countries must keep their promises, including the $40 billion a year for adaptation starting in 2025. 

Adaptation needs are particularly dramatic in developing countries that barely contribute to climate change. 

 We must ensure that the $300 billion a year by 2035 for developing countries agreed in Baku is delivered, and chart a course to raising $1.3 trillion a year, including new and innovative sources of finance and a credible price on carbon. 

We must bolster South-South cooperation, and improve new models such as the Just Energy Transition Partnerships.

And we must fill the coffers of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. 

Allow me a story. When this fund was created, the pledging conference that took place in the COP resulted in a sum that corresponded to the contract salary of the best well paid basketball player in the United States. 

This shows that we must be serious when we talk about the Loss and Damage fund. 

But the problem goes far beyond climate finance. 

As I said yesterday, we must invest in the reform of the international financial architecture and institutions, take action on debt relief, and triple the finance and capacity of the multilateral development banks to the benefit of developing countries. 

This is a moment of profound peril and possibility.  

I urge the BRICS countries to be a pillar of the world’s response in solidarity – for people, planet and prosperity. 

Thank you.

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