African climate negotiators, led by the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), have underscored the critical need to place health at the forefront of global climate action. This assertion was made in Bonn, Germany, during a Climate and Health Capacity Building Workshop convened before the 64th Session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64), framing climate change as an escalating public health crisis impacting millions across the continent.
The workshop, supported by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), built upon the foundation laid by the first-ever African Negotiators Climate and Health Curriculum, launched by Amref Health Africa in Dar es Salaam last year. It gathered negotiators, technical experts, young climate leaders, and representatives from key health and environmental organizations, including WHO-AFRO and the Africa CDC.
AGN Chair, Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, emphasized the intrinsic link between climate and health for Africa. He highlighted how escalating temperatures, frequent floods and droughts, food insecurity, malnutrition, air pollution, and shifting disease patterns are severely straining the continent’s health systems and communities.
“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,” stated Dr. Amoah. He further elaborated, “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.”
A significant achievement discussed was the progress in integrating health considerations into the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). African negotiators view this as a crucial step in acknowledging that adaptation strategies must prioritize human well-being, livelihoods, and overall health.
As discussions progress under the Belém Adaptation Indicators and the Baku Adaptation Road Map, African negotiators are advocating for health indicators that accurately reflect the specific vulnerabilities and realities faced by African nations. They stress the urgent requirement for enhanced adaptation finance to address these challenges.
“Africa has a unique opportunity to shape how adaptation is measured, financed and implemented globally,” Dr. Amoah remarked, referring to the ongoing discussions. “We must ensure that health indicators under the global goal on adaptation are meaningful, context-specific, and responsive to Africa’s realities. We must also continue pushing for adaptation finance that enables countries to build climate-resilient health systems, strengthen early warning systems, protect health infrastructure, and enhance preparedness for climate-related health emergencies.”
Climate finance remains a paramount concern for the continent. Despite the growing climate-related health risks, the health sector continues to receive only a minimal portion of the necessary adaptation funding, as noted by the AGN Chair.
“We won’t relent on calling for developed countries to deliver on their climate finance commitments and ensure that health considerations are reflected within broader discussions on loss and damage, given the significant social and economic costs associated with climate-related health impacts,” he asserted. The delegates recognized the current talks as a historic chance for Africa to influence global climate priorities, particularly concerning climate and health, with COP31, hosted in Africa, seen as a vital precursor to COP32.
The workshop also underscored the indispensable role of young negotiators and technical experts in ensuring the sustained leadership and continuity of Africa’s climate and health agenda. Collaboration among the AGN, WHO-AFRO, Africa CDC, Amref Health Africa, and other partners was identified as essential for developing unified African negotiation positions.
Representatives from WHO-AFRO, Africa CDC, and Amref Health Africa reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Africa’s climate and health agenda through their ongoing work in the sector. The AGN Chair reiterated the group’s dedication to elevating climate and health as a strategic continental priority, urging a unified approach to ensure health remains a central theme in climate policy discussions.
“Health is the human face of the climate crisis,” Dr. Amoah concluded, reinforcing the idea that if climate negotiations are fundamentally about safeguarding humanity, then health must be an integral part of global climate action moving forward.
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