WHO Identifies Six Climate Measures That Could Save 1.6 Million Lives Annually And Cut Emissions

WHO Says Six Climate and Health Measures Could Save 1.6 Million Lives Every Year

Adopting six practical climate and health interventions could prevent nearly 1.6 million deaths annually while delivering trillions of dollars in economic gains, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

In a report published ahead of the COP31 climate conference in Turkey, the UN health agency outlined measures including heat-health early warning systems and climate-resilient facilities for drinking water and sanitation.

The recommendations also include promoting better hand hygiene, shifting households towards cleaner energy sources and introducing more efficient pricing of fossil fuels.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described climate change as a major public health threat, stressing that many of its consequences could be addressed through existing solutions.

“The climate crisis is a health crisis, but much of the harm it causes can be prevented with tools we already have,” he said.

According to the report, implementing the six measures could deliver what the WHO called a “triple dividend” by improving public health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening economies.

The proposed interventions could prevent up to 16.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. They could also generate as much as $5.4 trillion in fiscal benefits each year and contribute nearly $4 trillion in wider economic gains through fewer deaths, reduced disaster losses and lower healthcare expenditure.

The WHO, however, cautioned that its estimates are based on ambitious scenarios and involve data limitations and uncertainties.

Tedros said expanding affordable and proven interventions could save millions of lives, particularly in countries facing the greatest climate and health challenges.

With world leaders preparing to gather in Turkey for COP31 next week, he urged governments to make public health protection a central part of their climate policies.