FINAL: COP28 Health Open Letter for signatory review

A collective open letter from global health leaders urging the COP28 Presidency to commit to a rapid, just, and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels to protect public health, reduce air pollution-related deaths, and mitigate the health impacts of extreme weather.

• The signatories argue that for COP28 to be a "health COP," it must address the root cause of the climate crisis by committing to an accelerated, just, and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas.
• The letter highlights the severe health and economic impacts of air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels, noting 7 million premature deaths annually and economic costs exceeding US$8.1 trillion (6.1% of global GDP) in 2019. It further notes that extreme weather events caused damages worth US$253 billion in 2021.
• The authors reject Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as an inadequate solution, claiming it extends fossil fuel use without providing immediate health improvements and risks worsening harmful emissions.
• The letter calls for a just energy transition that ensures access to affordable and resilient clean energy for fragile states and excluded communities, while urging the removal of fossil fuel industry interests from climate negotiations to prevent lobbying and disinformation.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (n.d.). FINAL: COP28 Health Open Letter for signatory review. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FINAL_-COP28-Health-Open-Letter.pdf

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. FINAL: COP28 Health Open Letter for signatory review. n.d. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FINAL_-COP28-Health-Open-Letter.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=FINAL: COP28 Health Open Letter for signatory review |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FINAL_-COP28-Health-Open-Letter.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalclimateandhealthalliancendfinal, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{FINAL: COP28 Health Open Letter for signatory review}}, publisher = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FINAL_-COP28-Health-Open-Letter.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }