Guidance to members of the climate and health community seeking to support governments to embed health more deeply in their NDCs

This guide by the Global Climate and Health Alliance provides a framework for the climate and health community to help governments integrate health considerations into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), specifically for the 'NDCs 3.0' due in 2025. It outlines seven criteria for health-inclusive NDCs, practical steps for government implementation, and strategies for civil society to advocate for health-centric climate policies.

• The 'NDCs 3.0' are national climate action plans due for submission in 2025, which must be more ambitious than previous iterations to align with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C. Current commitments are insufficient; if previous NDCs were fully implemented, global temperatures could reach 2.1-2.8°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100.
• While a 2023 WHO review found that 91% of NDCs mentioned health, actual integration remains low. Only 63% included health-specific adaptation actions or plans, 30% identified health co-benefits of climate mitigation, and only 29% allocated climate finance to health actions.
• The document defines seven criteria for a 'healthy' NDC: alignment with the 1.5°C warming limit, action within the healthcare sector, action in sectors that determine health (such as energy and agriculture), reduction of super-pollutants, financial considerations, timebound targets and indicators, and addressing the needs of the most affected populations.
• Reducing super-pollutants (short-lived climate pollutants like methane, black carbon, and nitrous oxide) can act as an 'emergency brake' on global warming and avoid four times more warming by 2050 than CO2-focused policies alone, while reducing premature death and respiratory diseases.
• Governments are encouraged to quantify the economic returns of climate action to build an investment case. For example, in Colombia, GHG emissions reductions could prevent over 3,800 premature deaths annually by 2030, resulting in annual savings of US$1.9 billion (2017 prices).
• To develop health-inclusive NDCs, governments should coordinate across ministries (Health, Climate, and Finance), conduct health vulnerability assessments, appoint dedicated climate and health focal points, and engage in consultations with vulnerable populations and local communities.

APA

Beagley, J. (2025). Guidance to members of the climate and health community seeking to support governments to embed health more deeply in their NDCs. Global Climate and Health Alliance. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/NDC-Guidance_Supporting-Health-Inclusive-National-Climate-Plans.pdf

Chicago

Beagley, Jess. Guidance to members of the climate and health community seeking to support governments to embed health more deeply in their NDCs. Global Climate and Health Alliance, 2025. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/NDC-Guidance_Supporting-Health-Inclusive-National-Climate-Plans.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Beagley |first1=Jess |title=Guidance to members of the climate and health community seeking to support governments to embed health more deeply in their NDCs |publisher=Global Climate and Health Alliance |date=2025 |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/NDC-Guidance_Supporting-Health-Inclusive-National-Climate-Plans.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{beagley2025guidance, author = {Beagley, Jess}, title = {{Guidance to members of the climate and health community seeking to support governments to embed health more deeply in their NDCs}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, year = {2025}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/NDC-Guidance_Supporting-Health-Inclusive-National-Climate-Plans.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }