ICN marks COP29 Health Day with strengthened Position Statement calling for urgent climate action
As the Conference of the Parties (COP29) hosts Health Day in Baku, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has released an updated position statement reflecting the increased urgency of climate action and emphasizing the importance of nurses as critical actors in addressing environmental challenges. The statement describes climate change as “the single greatest health threat facing humanity with profound implications for human health and well-being” and calls on nurses, nursing associations and governments to take immediate action to promote sustainability and transition away from fossil fuels.
The newly revised position statement outlines the escalating scope and severity of climate-driven health harms, which include extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, droughts and wildfires and negative impacts on nutrition, mental illness, population displacement, economic growth and poverty reduction.
ICN President Dr Pamela Cipriano remarked:
“Nurses, on the front lines of health care, have a ringside seat to the climate crisis that is worsening in plain sight. Nurses treat the direct and indirect effects of climate change each and every day. They experience first-hand how natural disasters, rising air pollution, increased heat, and climate-sensitive infectious diseases cause illness, injuries and respiratory issues, exacerbate pre-existing conditions, endanger mental health, and strain already overburdened health systems. Climate change does not impact everyone equally, and nurses see how women, children, the elderly, and vulnerable or marginalized groups are paying the highest price.
As our revised position statement makes clear, nurses understand the connections between climate and health, they are committed to the values of social and environmental justice at the heart of the profession, and they are trusted leaders in their communities. This means they are uniquely well positioned to drive the change that is critical to the future of both people’s health and the planet. We must enable nurses to lead the way by embedding climate and sustainability in nursing education, investing in health workforce readiness, and elevating nurses’ voices in the global policy arena.”
In the statement ICN urges governments and global health organizations to “accelerate rapid, just and equitable phasing out of fossil fuels”, act on the commitments in the Paris Agreement, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and last year’s COP28 climate justice goals, and “scale-up financing for climate resilient communities and health systems”.
As a member of the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA), ICN has also endorsed a joint call from the international health and climate community for parties at COP29 to commit to ambitious climate action. ICN has long advocated for urgent climate adaptation and mitigation and strongly supports GCHA’s recommendations, including:
- Ending expansion of fossil fuels in production and infrastructure and transition to renewable energies
- Clear mechanisms for reporting data and tracking progress on COP28 commitments
- Securing adequate finance for ambitious climate action and loss and damage funds for impacted communities
Dr Cipriano added:
“Last year's COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health put health at the centre of climate action. We now need to maintain this momentum and translate policy into action.
‘COP29 has a strong focus on climate finance and we join the health community in urging global leaders to step up with concrete funding that matches the scale and urgency of the climate emergency that is threatening human health worldwide. There is no time to lose. Financing climate and health, including support for health workforce preparedness and resilience, is the most important investment we can make for our collective future.”
ICN’s full updated Position Statement on Nurses, climate change and health can be accessed here.
The Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) Recommendations for COP29 are available here.
COP29, taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan (November 11-22, 2024), represents the 29th gathering of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. These annual conferences serve as the world's primary forum for negotiating international climate action, bringing together governments, industry leaders, healthcare professionals, and civil society organizations.