Plenary 1: Can we survive climate change?

Chair

Mary Codd – ASPHER President

Moderators

Tara Chen – ASPHER Fellow on Climate Change and Health

Rana Orhan – ASPHER Fellow on Climate Change and Health

Keynote speaker

Prof Dr Ernst Kuipers – Commissioner of the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH); Chair, Board of Trustees, Technology University Delft and former Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Netherlands (Kingdom of the)

Panellists

Leena Ylä-Mononen – Executive Director, European Environment Agency; 

Laurent Chambaud – Senior Chair of ASPHER Climate & Planetary Health Working Group

Background

Our societies face a crisis of unprecedented scale and urgency. At the heart of this polycrisis, climate change—with its devastating environmental and health impacts—demands our immediate attention. A profound ethical question confronts us: What world are we building for today’s generations, and above all, what future we will bequeath to those yet to come? The public health community must meet this challenge head-on: as scientists, as professionals, and as citizens.

The keynote will open with a clear message: climate change is not a future environmental risk, it is an immediate and escalating public health crisis, using selected data points to underline this message. We are at a critical juncture: Scientific evidence on climate-related health impacts has never been stronger, yet political attention remains fragmented. Without decisive action, climate change will continue to undermine health, economic stability, and societal progress.

Against this backdrop, the speaker will briefly introduce the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health, an independent initiative convened by WHO/Europe to elevate the political priority of climate and health, strengthen commitment, and mobilize governments, sectors and societies to act. The Commission’s role is not to restate the problem, but to close the gap between evidence and implementation, turning knowledge into decisive, coordinated action.

The keynote will then highlight the Commission’s Call to Action, structured around four domains:

• recognizing climate change as a public health emergency and security issue, requiring whole-of-government responses;
• transforming health systems to be climate-resilient, low-carbon and prevention-oriented (linking to plenary 2 on health systems);
• scaling community-based solutions, particularly at city level (linking to plenary 3 on cities and possibly 4 on health equity in urban and rural settings);
• and reforming economic and financial systems to align incentives with health and climate goals (possibly linking to plenary 5 on health by design).

Drawing from the speaker’s experience at the Ministerial, particular emphasis in the keynote will be placed on health system transformation as a critical leverage point, and on the political enablers for this transformation. Using examples from the approaches taken in the Netherlands, one of the countries that have pioneered the shift towards climate resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems, the speaker will emphasise the multiple benefits of health care delivery models that promote health, prevent disease, and anticipate climate-related risks. This requires strengthening the health workforce, the engine of any health system (link to ASPHER).

The keynote will conclude with a focus on implementation: The Commission’s recommendations are designed to support practical, measurable action. Implemented effectively, they can deliver immediate and long-term gains: improved population health, reduced inequalities, stronger economies, and greater societal resilience.

Panel Interventions

The Executive Director from the European Environment Agency will discuss technical work within member states and with partners underway. Findings from the European Climate Risk Assessment will be highlighted; and EEA’s European Climate and Health Observatory as an important initiative to bring together stakeholders across different fields.

ASPHER Senior Lead on Climate & Planetary Health will further takin into consideration required capacity building and professionalisation for public health professionals to confront the challenges of Climate Change and Health. ASPHER’s programme of work will be highlighted including initiatives developed as a partner to the European Climate and Health Observatory.

Moderation

The Plenary will be moderated by two former ASPHER Climate and Health Fellows, Tara Chen and Rana Orhan. Moderation by two early career professionals who have played key roles in the field of climate change and health under ASPHER, will ensure the discussion remains focussed and aligned to the concerns and demand of the upcoming generation of public health professionals who will be most profoundly confronted by the health consequences from a changing climate.