Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health ahead of COP30

The Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health outlines a multisectoral framework to center health in climate governance. It identifies critical gaps, such as the fact that only 11 countries in the region have national health and climate change plans and only 11.6% of Green Climate Fund investments in the region address health. The position advocates for six pillars: protecting health from climate impacts, mitigation with health co-benefits, climate justice and equity, adaptation and health system resilience, health leadership, and financing.

• The region faces severe health risks from climate change and pollution, with children and older adults experiencing over 250% more heatwave days per year between 2013–2022 compared to 1986–2005. Additionally, 99% of the population is exposed to air pollution, resulting in 320,000 premature deaths annually.
• There is a significant lack of institutional planning and education regarding climate-health intersections; most regional universities omit climate change from undergraduate health training, and only 11 countries have a national health and climate change plan, with only 10 having completed vulnerability assessments.
• Climate justice is a critical priority due to disproportionate impacts, such as Indigenous peoples in South America experiencing double the mortality from wildfire smoke compared to non-Indigenous populations. The position calls for the full implementation of the Escazú Agreement and the inclusion of ancestral worldviews like Buen Vivir.
• International climate finance for health in the region is insufficient, with only 11.6% of Green Climate Fund investments in Latin America and the Caribbean addressing health.
• The declaration proposes six strategic pillars for action: protecting health from climate impacts, mitigation with health co-benefits, climate justice and equity, adaptation and health system resilience, health leadership, and financing.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (2025). Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health ahead of COP30. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/position-paper-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-on-climate-change-and-health/

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health ahead of COP30. 2025. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/position-paper-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-on-climate-change-and-health/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health ahead of COP30 |date=22 July 2025 |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/position-paper-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-on-climate-change-and-health/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalclimateandhealthalliance2025common, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{Common Position of Latin America and the Caribbean on Climate Change and Health ahead of COP30}}, publisher = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/position-paper-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-on-climate-change-and-health/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }