‘The climate crisis is a health crisis and it’s killing us’: WHO Director General

The climate crisis is a health crisis and 3.3 billion people worldwide are now highly vulnerable to the effects of global warming, Dr. Vanessa Kerry, the first-ever Director General Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health, said during COP28’s Health Day.

Speaking at the Reaching Last Mile forum, she said the events of 2023 – said to be the hottest on record – has brought “this painful truth” into sharp focus. She said the US, Canada and Europe have seen record-breaking temperatures. The Horn of Africa has seen devastating floods. Flooding in Libya has caused widespread devastation that swept 20,000 to sea.

Each climate event has left devastation, death and a long tale of health complications in its wake,” she said. “And so is the time for challenging out leaders and the time for challenging the status quo. The time for bold and decisive action by every single one of us in the room.” “Now already 3.3 billion people in our world are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.”

The World Health Organization estimates that one in four deaths in the world are from preventable environmental causes and climate change is further exacerbating these risks.