COP29 - 18 November 2024
God the Healer - created to be healthy

reflection 

The Health Foundation publication 'What builds good health? talks about health in these terms: “Health is our most precious asset. Good health and wellbeing enable us to live happy, fulfilling lives and free us up to achieve our potential, supporting positive social and economic outcomes for individuals and society.”  And regarding the things that affect our health and how long we live, it lists  “jobs and homes, our access to education, public transport and safe green spaces with clean air, and whether we experience poverty or discrimination”

There is much in the Bible that resonates with this, and as Christians, we would add the importance of the spiritual health that comes from being in a right relationship with God. Our passage from Jeremiah speaks to this, as God talks about bringing health and healing, peace and security, cleansing and forgiveness to his people. And of course, healing was a huge part of Jesus’ ministry.

Some of the issues we reflected on last week (biodiversity loss, energy, food and water) attest to the current impact of climate change on the daily lives of so many people we share this world with. But it is likely to worsen. The World Economic Forum, in its report Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Human Health, has estimated that by 2050, climate change could cause an additional 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion (more than £9.16 trillion) in economic losses worldwide. A trillion pounds is £1,000,000,000,000! It has predicted that world healthcare systems will face huge additional burdens because of climate-induced impacts, at a cost of around $1.1 trillion. Floods and droughts are likely to be the main causes of climate-related death, and heat waves the biggest cause of economic losses. We’re also likely to see the spread of climate-sensitive diseases like malaria and dengue. 

If the relative protection afforded us by our temperate island home makes us complacent, then the 2023-2024 annual report of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Scotland should give us pause for thought. It identifies the climate emergency and its impact on planetary health as the most significant long-term threat to human health. The other three concurrent challenges are the ongoing threat of infectious disease; widening health inequalities; and the need to create a more sustainable health and care system.

Some of the challenges that we may have to start dealing with in Scotland include:

• Serious mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika may become endemic due to a hotter and more humid climate.

• The frequency of flooding episodes may increase as a result of significantly increased winter rainfall, and rising sea levels. This will compound existing inequalities and long-term mental health issues are anticipated.

• Whilst Scotland’s winters may become wetter, our spring and summer temperatures are likely to rise and we’re likely to experience more heat waves - another health risk.

• If there is water scarcity in the summer and flooding in the winter, there will be an increased risk of food insecurity. Because nearly half of the UK’s food is already imported, and the proportion coming from climate-vulnerable countries is increasing, our food chain is vulnerable to local and global climate shocks. Our food choices may diminish and our food costs increase, and the hardest hit are likely to be those people who are already struggling.

These are things that might affect us in the next 25-30 years, but they are affecting others already. That should cause us to reflect.

prayer

Almighty God, you are the ultimate source of health and healing. We thank you that with you all things are possible.

We pray for the scientists and innovators who are working on solutions that will positively impact on people’s health. We ask that these become available to those most in need.

We ask for an increase in the capacities of countries’ public health systems in order to respond to public health threats. 

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen 

at cop29

Health is one of today's themes at COP29 and activities will include:

• Investing in Human Development, Health, and Jobs for a Climate-Resilient Future: This initiative aims to ensure that climate actions also promote health and well-being, create jobs, and support human development.

• Health Pavilion: Hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust, the Health Pavilion will showcase evidence, initiatives, and solutions to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change (more detail here).

• High-Level Roundtable on Climate and Health: This event will focus on the interconnection between climate change and health, promoting a holistic approach to addressing global health and environmental challenges.

• Operationalization of the Health Impact Investment Platform (HIIP): This platform aims to provide coordinated health financing for low- and lower-middle-income countries, focusing on public health and primary healthcare.

• One Health for Nurturing Human Development: This initiative advocates for the integration of One Health principles into COP processes, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to global health and environmental challenges.

The WHO (World Health Organisation) in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust and the health community will be hosting the Health Pavilion. The pavilion aims to ensure that health and equity are central to climate negotiations; and as part of COP29 WHO is preparing a Special Report on Climate Change and Health, which will propose priority actions from the global health community to governments and policymakers.

If you'd like more information, look on the WHO website.

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🗓️ Today at COP29: The focus is on Human Capital / Children and Youth / Health / Education