In the second half of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world is increasingly confronting new and recurring health risks, public health emergencies and the growing impact of climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the devastating consequences such challenges have on economies and societies. It also underscored the urgent need for strengthening health systems capacity. This includes capacity to deliver all essential public health functions (EPHF) , including promotion, prevention, preparedness, detection and response management.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the contributions of the health professions, and their representative associations, councils, institutions and schools, to climate action within this broader public health agenda, particularly:
- What role do health professions and their representative associations, councils, institutions and schools play in promoting, preventing, detecting and responding to climate change?
- What actions, including capacity needs, are needed to ensure that they are fit for purpose?
- How can they influence normative evidence and guidance on education and practice?
- What are the solutions, and how can they accelerate progress on resilient, low carbon health systems in their countries?
- What contributions can they make towards environmentally sustainable health facilities?
