Climate change is already causing a global health emergency, with more than 540,000 people dying from extreme heat each year and 1 in 12 hospitals worldwide at risk of climate-related shutdowns, warns a new special report, published today jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Brazil (COP30 Presidency) and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
THE COP30 Special Report on Health and Climate Change: implementation of the Belém Health Action Plannotes that rising temperatures and collapsing health systems are costing more lives and calls for immediate and coordinated action to protect health in a rapidly warming world. Following the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan, a flagship initiative of the Brazilian COP 30 Presidency, unveiled on the dedicated COP30 Health Day – November 13, 2025.
The climate crisis is a health crisis – not in the distant future, but here and now. This special report provides evidence on the impact of climate change on individuals and health systems, and real-world examples of what countries can do – and are doing – to protect health and strengthen health systems.”
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
With global temperatures now exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the world is already facing increasing health impacts. The report finds that 3.3 to 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly vulnerable to climate change, and hospitals face a 41% higher risk of damage from extreme weather than in 1990. This highlights the urgent need to strengthen and adapt health systems to protect communities from climate-related shocks.
Without rapid decarbonisation, the number of health facilities at risk could double by mid-century, underscoring the critical importance of implementing adaptation measures to safeguard health infrastructure. The health sector itself contributes about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and needs a rapid transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient systems.
The report identifies persistent gaps that require urgent attention. Only 54% of national health adaptation plans assess risks to health facilities, and less than 30% of health adaptation studies consider income, 20% consider gender, and less than 1% include people with disabilities.
“The evidence is clear: protecting health systems is one of the smartest investments any country can make,” said Professor Nick Watts, Chair of the Expert Advisory Group and Director of the NUS Center for Sustainable Medicine. “Allocating just 7% of adaptation funding to health will protect billions of people and keep essential services running during climate shocks – when our patients need them most.”
Progress is being made. between 2015 and 2023, the number of countries with national multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) doubled to 101, now covering around two-thirds of the world’s population. However, only 46% of least developed countries and 39% of small island developing States have effective systems.
The central message of the report is clear: there is now more than enough evidence to escalate action today. For each element of the Belém Health Action Plan there are cost-effective, high-impact and no-regret interventions. However, adaptation strategies could ultimately fail unless they address the root causes of health inequality – both within health systems and across society.
The report calls on governments to:
- Incorporating health goals in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
- Take advantage of the financial savings from decarbonizing health adaptation finance and workforce capacity;
- Invest in resilient infrastructureprioritizing health facilities and basic services; and
- Empower communities and local knowledge systems to shape responses that reflect lived realities.
The Brazilian government also published an accompanying report, Social participation, climate and health: special report to support the implementation of the Belém health action planwhich focuses on social participation, governance and community participation as a critical dimension of the Belém Health Action Plan. The report emphasizes that climate change poses serious risks to human health, particularly for vulnerable and historically marginalized populations, and that effective adaptation requires the active participation of communities in the design, implementation and monitoring of health policies.
“With the publication of this report, Brazil and WHO confirm the importance of COP30 as the COP of Truth. The report provides clear data and evidence that climate change is already directly affecting health systems around the world,” says Dr Alexandre Padilha, Brazil’s Minister of Health. “Recent tragedies show that now is the time to implement policies and actions that address the health impacts of climate change. The Belém Health Action Plan and this report give countries the tools they need to turn scientific evidence into concrete action.”
Together, the two reports provide complementary pathways for translating the Plan’s goals into practice – one focusing on evidence and implementation, the other on inclusive participation and leadership across societies.
About the Belém Health Action Plan
The Belém Health Action Plan, a flagship outcome of Brazil’s COP 30 Presidency, is structured around two cross-cutting principles and concepts: health equity and “climate justice” and participatory climate and health leadership and governance.
The plan also outlines three lines of action for climate-resilient health systems:
- Surveillance and monitoringfocused on strengthening integrated and climate-informed health surveillance;
- Evidence-based policies, strategies and capacity buildingwith the aim of strengthening the capacity of national and local systems to implement effective equity-oriented solutions. and
- Innovation, production and digital healthwhich promotes research, development and access to technologies that address the health needs of diverse populations.
THE COP30 special report prepared under the guidance of an Expert Advisory Group of global public health leaders, chaired by the NUS Center for Sustainable Medicine and led by WHO and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Drawing on more than 70 case studies from around the world, the report identifies practical interventions that are already delivering results – from early warning systems and green hospital design to climate-based health planning and sustainable finance.
