Geneva (Switzerland) (AFP) - The World Health Organization confirmed on Wednesday that implementing some health and climate-related measures could save the lives of about 1.6 million people annually and generate trillions of dollars for the economy.
Published on: 04/11/2026 - 13:41
The UN agency's report, which was published days before the start of the COP31 climate conference, recommended establishing early warning systems related to health and heat, and establishing a drinking water and sanitation infrastructure capable of adapting to climate change.
The list also included improving hand hygiene, relying on cleaner sources of home energy, and implementing more efficient pricing for fossil fuels.
“The climate crisis is a health crisis, but the bulk of the damage it causes can be avoided through tools we already have,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.
The WHO report stated that launching six concrete measures would achieve a “three-dimensional return” represented by “healthier societies, lower emissions, and stronger economies.”
The report indicated that in addition to saving lives, these measures could contribute to avoiding the emission of 16.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually.
The measures could also generate financial benefits of up to $5.4 trillion annually, as well as giving an economic boost of nearly $4 trillion by saving lives, averting disasters and reducing health care costs.
The World Health Organization acknowledged that the study relied on ambitious scenarios and confirmed that there are data gaps and uncertainties accompanying these future expectations.
Tedros said the report showed how “scaling up proven, affordable measures could save millions of lives, with the greatest gains in the countries that need them most.”
As world leaders prepare to head to the COP31 summit in Türkiye next week, he urged them to ensure that protecting health is “at the heart of the climate action”.
© 2026 AFP
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