COP28 FROM DUBAI

Importance of aligning climate change with health

Patricia Wu is joined by Gareth Presch, CEO & founder of the World Health Innovation Summit to discuss why it's important to align climate change with health. Gareth also gives an overview of the World Health Innovation Summit and how potential investors can create an impact in the health industry.

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HEALTHY PLANET, HEALTHY PEOPLE COP28 DECLARATION

 

During the COP28 Healthy Cities, Climate Finance and Resilience session taking place in the invite-only Green Zone on the 2nd December 2023 a new declaration was made to bring new innovative ways of mobilising health sector pension fund capital to support climate action and sustainable development. 

Healthy Planet, Healthy People - the COP28 declaration is a call to action and opportunity for healthcare workers to work with their employers to commit 1% of their pension funds to support sustainable development (the 17 SDGs).

Climate change is a considerable threat facing humanity, and health professionals worldwide are already responding to the health harms caused by this unfolding crisis (Open letter from Medical Community COP28) The 2021 United Nations climate negotiations in Glasgow (COP26) were a critical moment and opportunity to put the world on a path that protects people from catastrophic climate change.

Over 600 organizations representing over 46 million health workers, from 102 different countries, signed the open letter to national leaders and country delegations, calling for real action to address the climate crisis by limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and to make human health and equity central to all climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. 

Health professionals from around the world delivered the Prescription message that we must act on. There now is an opportunity to turn words into action. We believe the opportunity exists to create a new fund that not only supports climate action but would mobilize the capital needed to support a sustainable model of health and wellbeing (SDG3) that creates value based on prevention, early intervention and using different resources. The aim is to enable people and communities to thrive and improve their health and wellbeing, support existing health services, create new and meaningful jobs while supporting the implementation of the 17 sustainable development goals. 

The partners would work with those organisations and national governments to support pension funds work towards financing new SDG projects to support the transition to the global goals by 2030 and beyond. 

Gareth Presch, the CEO of the World Health Innovation Summit remarks:

"The Healthy Planet, Healthy People COP28 Declaration seeks to mobilise the health sectors pension funds to support sustainable development around the world. We're calling on the 46 million healthcare workers around the world to support sustainable development with a 1% commitment of their pension funds. We need new financial vehicles that can support investment opportunities that deliver a sustainable world." 

Maria Dayton the Head of Capital Partnerships at LG Nova and Founding Partner at NOVA Prime Ventures remarks: 

"We are excited to partner with the World Health Service Fund in their effort to provide ubiquitous digital health care services to anyone who needs them." 

Dr. Harris A. Eyre, Fellow, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and Lead of the Brain Capital Alliance remarks:

“Clearly we need fresh approaches to achieving sustainability. Harnessing public pension fund capital means harnessing capital which cares about generational issues like climate. This approach offers long term vision and strategy, stability and consistency, and participatory community engagement.”

Quote from Impact for SDGs

“There is tremendous potential to unleash a wave of transformative initiatives that directly tackle the pressing global challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequality. As a collective, we have a unique opportunity to reshape the trajectory of the future, paving the way for a healthier and more sustainable world by redefining how we utilize our resources. This, in turn, will play a crucial role in fostering healthier and more equitable societies."

 

With your support we'll implement new models of healthcare that leave no-one behind and deliver health for all.