PAHO Director warns of intensifying local weather threats to well being within the Americas at international convention in Brazil – PAHO/WHO

Dr. Barbosa urged nations to place well being on the middle of local weather coverage and guarantee entry to local weather finance, forward of key COP30 negotiations.

Brasilia, 29 July 2025 (PAHO) – As the Americas confront record-breaking temperatures, surging illness outbreaks, and more and more damaging local weather occasions, the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, known as for pressing motion to put well being and fairness on the middle of the local weather agenda.

“Populations in situations of vulnerability bear the brunt of these climate impacts, although they are the least responsible for it,” Dr. Barbosa warned. His remarks got here through the opening of the 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health, held in Brasilia on July 29-31 and co-organized by PAHO alongside the Government of Brazil and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Conference serves as an official preparatory assembly for the thirtieth United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30), which will even be held in Brazil (Belém, 10–21 November). At that assembly, nations and companions are anticipated to contribute to the Belém Health Action Plan—a roadmap for integrating well being into international local weather coverage.

Dr. Barbosa described the toll that local weather change has already taken within the Region. “2024 was the warmest year experienced in the Region since 1900, with heatwaves being the most lethal climate hazard,” he mentioned.

In addition, wildfires affected 70,000 individuals throughout Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, and Chile; floods impacted 5 million individuals throughout ten nations, together with the catastrophic floods skilled in South of Brazil, and droughts contributed to meals insecurity and malnutrition in Brazil and Colombia, affecting 1.2 million individuals.

Hurricanes impacted over 4.5 million individuals within the Caribbean, Central and North America, damaging greater than 200 healthcare services. “Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Atlantic Category 5 storm on record and devastated Grenada and neighboring islands,” he famous.

Meanwhile, climate-sensitive ailments surged throughout the continent final 12 months. The Region noticed a file excessive variety of dengue instances reaching 13 million instances—practically triple 2023’s complete—with over 7,700 deaths,” Dr. Barbosa reported.

PAHO’s key regional methods

In response to those developments, he recommended the Belém Health Action Plan’s method, saying it “puts health equity at the center and prioritizes intersectoral action and meaningful social participation”.

The Plan, he added, aligns with PAHO’s Policy for Strengthening Equity-Oriented Health Sector Action on Climate Change and Health, adopted by PAHO Member States in 2024. This coverage “focuses on promoting climate-resilient health services and ensuring access to health for all, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Dr. Barbosa mentioned.

PAHO’s Director additionally highlighted that each the Belém Health Action Plan and the coverage are in line with two of PAHO’s key regional methods: the Disease Elimination Initiative, geared toward eliminating 30 ailments and associated circumstances by 2030, and the Better Care for Noncommunicable Diseases Initiative.

“Both are centered on equity, addressing the social and environmental determinants of health,” he defined. “In this regard, PAHO has worked with regulators and water providers to develop climate-resilient water and sanitation safety plans in 22 countries, benefiting 84.5 million people, seven million of them last year alone”.

Dr. Barbosa additionally underscored PAHO’s help to nations in constructing climate-resilient well being programs. “We are working with Member States to develop national health adaptation plans, improve health infrastructure, enhance surveillance of climate-sensitive diseases, and develop key measures to anticipate, prevent, prepare for, and respond to climate-related events and mitigate their effects on health.”

Ensuring accessible local weather finance

To scale up these efforts, he emphasised the necessity for monetary help. “I would like to highlight another aspect of PAHO’s climate and health policy, and also the official position of the Brazilian Presidency at COP30: the importance of ensuring timely and accessible climate finance,” he mentioned.

“Efficient and targeted investments require solid situation analysis and concrete development plans,” he added, noting that PAHO is supporting nations at each nationwide and subnational ranges to hold out feasibility research and design investments to cut back emissions from the well being sector, enhance infrastructure, and strengthen early response capability.

He additionally pointed to regional commitments to cut back air air pollution deaths. “Recognizing that ambient and household air pollution contributes to 24% of deaths from noncommunicable diseases in the Americas, PAHO and WHO co-organized the Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, Colombia, in March,” he mentioned. “As a result, countries committed to reducing deaths from air pollution by 50% by 2040.”

Dr. Barbosa concluded by reaffirming PAHO’s dedication to implementing the Belém Health Action Plan alongside Member States, civil society, and philanthropic and multilateral companions. “PAHO is well-positioned to implement the policies mentioned and the Belém Health Action Plan,” he mentioned. “We remain committed to moving forward together and exploring innovative solutions for shared challenges.”

About the Global Conference on Climate and Health

The 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health takes place from 29–31 July on the International Convention Center of Brazil in Brasilia. It brings collectively representatives from governments, the UN system, philanthropy, and civil society to help the event of the Belém Health Action Plan, to be adopted at COP30. The Conference additionally serves because the annual in-person assembly of the WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), a worldwide platform for collaboration and information change on local weather and well being.