Africa’s Climate Negotiators Put Health At The Center Of Climate Action Ahead of SB64

AFRICA’S CLIMATE NEGOTIATORS PUT HEALTH AT THE CENTRE OF CLIMATE ACTION AHEAD OF SB64

African climate negotiators have reaffirmed their commitment to placing health at the heart of global climate negotiations, recognising climate change not only as an environmental challenge but as a growing public health emergency affecting millions across the continent.

The call was made by African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) Chair, Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah during a Climate and Health Capacity Building Workshop convened in Bonn, Germany, ahead of the 64th Session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64).

Addressing negotiators, technical experts, young climate leaders, and representatives from key institutions including WHO-AFRO, Africa CDC, Amref Health Africa, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Nana Dr. Amoah, emphasised that climate and health are inseparable realities for Africa.

He noted that rising temperatures, recurrent floods and droughts, food insecurity, malnutrition, air pollution, and changing disease patterns are placing unprecedented strain on health systems and communities across the continent.
The workshop, supported by the IISD builds on momentum generated by the launch of the first ever African Negotiators Climate and Health Curriculum developed by Amref Health Africa and launched in Dar es Salaam last year.

“Since then, evidence of climate-related health impacts has continued to mount, with climate-sensitive diseases expanding into new regions and extreme weather events damaging critical health infrastructure,” said Dr. Amoah. “We continue to witness climate-sensitive diseases expanding into new geographies, health infrastructure being damaged by extreme weather events, and increasing burdens on already stretched public health systems in Africa.”

The AGN Chair highlighted progress made in securing the inclusion of health within the framework of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).

“Following the adoption of the Belém Adaptation indicators and the ongoing discussions under the Baku Adaptation Roadmap, Africa has a unique opportunity to shape how adaptation is measured, financed and implemented globally. We must ensure that health indicators under the global goal on adaptation are meaningful, context-specific, and responsive to Africa’s realities,” said the AGN Chair.

Overall, the AGN Chair reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to elevating climate and health as a strategic continental priority, urging negotiators to develop coherent African messages and negotiation strategies to ensure health remains fully integrated into climate policy discussions.

“Health is the human face of the climate crisis,” he noted, emphasizing that if climate negotiations are ultimately about protecting people, then health must remain at the centre of global climate action.

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