New reports from the WHO, FAO, and WFP highlight urgent priorities for governments and partners to safeguard health and prevent catastrophic hunger amid climate and economic crises.
Climate Threats to Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 540,000 people die annually from extreme heat, and one in 12 hospitals worldwide is at risk of climate-related shutdowns. The findings are part of the COP30 Special Report on Health and Climate Change: Delivering the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP), released at the United Nations’ 30th Annual Climate Change Conference (COP30).
The report emphasizes the need for immediate, coordinated action to protect health in a warming world. BHAP has received 80 endorsements from 30 countries and 50 partners, with $300 million pledged to strengthen health system resilience.
Key findings include:
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3.3 to 3.6 billion people live in regions highly vulnerable to climate change.
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Hospitals face a 41% higher risk of damage from extreme weather compared to 1990.
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Without rapid decarbonization, the number of at-risk health facilities could double by mid-century.
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Only 54% of national health adaptation plans assess hospital risks, with fewer considering income, gender, or disability impacts.
Brazil’s Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, said, “Recent tragedies show that now is the time to implement policies and actions addressing the impacts of climate change on health. The Belém Health Action Plan provides countries with the tools to turn scientific evidence into concrete action”.
Rising Food Insecurity
Acute food insecurity is worsening in 16 global hunger hotspots, according to the Hunger Hotspots report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP).
Conflict, economic collapse, climate extremes, and declining humanitarian funding are converging to put populations at imminent risk of catastrophic hunger (IPC/CH Phase 5).
The report identifies six countries and territories of highest concern: Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen. FAO and WFP emphasize that famine is “almost always predictable and preventable” and call on the international community to refocus on tackling food insecurity and invest in long-term resilience.
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