Plenary 2: Health Systems and Climate Change

Moderators

Dimitra Panteli – European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Federica Margheri – European Health Management Association

Newsroom (audience interaction)

Nicole Mauer – European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

Speakers/Panellists

Antonio Parenti – Director of the directorate for Public health, Cancer and Health security at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and food safety

TBC, WHO Bonn European Centre for Environment and Health

Marina Romanello – UCL

TBC, Member State representative

TBC, Basque Climate Change Centre

Background

Climate change poses a serious threat to population health and health systems worldwide. Exposure to rising temperatures and extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods and droughts, worsens health outcomes. It also increases the risk and prevalence of infectious diseases, such as zoonoses and vector-borne diseases, by extending the range and activity of disease-carrying vectors; this leads to higher vulnerability, particularly among older adults. Climate change also exacerbates chronic diseases through air pollution and other environmental risks, while negatively affecting mental health and accelerating heat-related morbidity and mortality[1]. Accompanying changes in health care demand put enormous pressure on health systems. Health workers are increasingly exposed to occupational risks[2], while health services are disrupted by infrastructure that is unequipped to function under extreme weather conditions. Together, these trends significantly impact care continuity and health systems’ capacity to deliver care, calling for action to adapt and strengthen the resilience of the health sector in the face of climate change.

At the same time, climate change is exacerbated by the health sector’s activities, which account for around 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.[3] Investing in greener infrastructure and making greener choices in health care can significantly benefit the environment and generate important co-benefits for population health by reducing inappropriate care, strengthening prevention and moving care closer to communities.[4]

Early progress has been recorded in addressing the preparedness and resilience of health systems to climate change, as well as their environmental footprint. Yet, backsliding climate commitments and rising global greenhouse gas emissions risk reversing these gains and accelerating adverse impacts on health and health systems.¹ By showcasing diverse health system adaptation, and resilience initiatives – zooming in from the macro to the local level – this session aims to explore what the health sector can do to adapt and be better prepared to deliver health services under changing climatic conditions, while also reducing its own impact and becoming more environmentally sustainable.

[1] The 2025 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown. Available from: https://lancetcountdown.org/2025-report/

[2] International Labour Organization (2024). Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate. Global report. Available from: https://www.ilo.org/publications/ensuring-safety-and-health-work-changing-climate

[3] Pichler, P.-P., Jaccard, I. S., Weisz, U., Weisz, H. (2019): International comparison of health care carbon footprints. – Environmental Research Letters, 14, 6, 064004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab19e1

[4] Mauer N, Durvy B, Panteli D. How can health care facilities reduce their environmental footprint and contribute to more sustainable health systems? Copenhagen: European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2025.