3.5 Health, environment and climate change-WMA

THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
L’ASSOCIATION MEDICALE MONDIALE, INC
ASOCIACION MEDICA MUNDIAL, INC
Centre International de Bureaux
Immeuble A «Keynes» Website : www.wma.net Postal Address :
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01210 FERNEY-VOLTAIRE Fax : (33) 4 50 40 59 37 01210 FERNEY-VOLTAIRE Cedex
France E-mail address : wma@wma.net France
WHO Executive Board 142
3.5 Health, environment and climate change
Honourable Chairperson, Distinguished Delegates,
Thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the World Medical Association, which
represents 9 million physicians around the world.
The WMA notes with appreciation the increased commitment of the WHO to engage in
multisectoral action on climate change. Furthermore, we applaud the WHO’s role in protecting
health equity in the face of climate change with its flagship initiative to address health effects of
climate change in small island developing States.
However, we note with concern the absence of reference to the urgency in reducing emissions
including from the health sector in order to meet the commitments stated in the Paris agreement,
and the lack of any mention of health-related loss and damages due to climate change.
Furthermore, we urge the WHO to acknowledge the strong economic interest vested in the
continued use of fossil fuels and the necessity for a very clear separation between WHO activities
and the fossil fuel industry. We hope that WHO Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors
will adequately assess potential conflicts of interest when engaging with such stakeholders.
Finally, we urge the WHO to explore financial mechanisms of realizing the health benefits of
climate change, including but not limited to divestment of public funds from fossil fuel industries
and carbon pricing mechanisms.
Acknowledging the many developments in international climate change policymaking, the WMA
has recently updated its climate change resolution and is looking forward to continued collaboration
with the WHO namely through consultation on the global strategy on health, environment and
climate change.
Thank you