Linking Health and Climate Action: Five recommendations for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference from Santa Marta

The briefing outlines five strategic pillars to integrate health into the climate and energy transition agendas for COP 31. These include shifting from a narrow energy transition to a systemic transformation, centering health as a primary result of the transition rather than a co-benefit, accounting for the full fossil fuel value chain (including petrochemicals), aligning fiscal policy with health costs, and closing evidence and communication gaps.

• The COP 31 Presidency has designated "Dynamic and Resilient Health Systems" as a priority theme, emphasizing the need for a structural transformation of health systems to handle climate-related shocks.
• Climate action should evolve from a simple substitution of energy sources to a "Systemic Transformation" of economic systems dependent on fossil fuels, prioritizing health, well-being, and equity.
• Health should be treated as a central result of the transition rather than just a co-benefit, with health metrics integrated into just transition frameworks to improve policy effectiveness and social support.
• National policies must expand their evaluation of health impacts to cover the entire fossil fuel value chain, specifically including the risks from petrochemicals, plastics, and fertilizers, which are currently underestimated.
• Fiscal and financial decision-making should be reformed to reflect true socio-environmental and health costs, including the reform of subsidies and the evolution of tax systems beyond carbon-only approaches.
• There is a need to bridge the gap between technical knowledge and decision-making through investment in research, transparent data systems, and the empowerment of health professionals and communities to counter misinformation.

APA

Wagner,, M. G. (2026). Linking Health and Climate Action: Five recommendations for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference from Santa Marta. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/health-and-climate-cop31

Chicago

Wagner,, Margarita Guiterez,Lynn. Linking Health and Climate Action: Five recommendations for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference from Santa Marta. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/health-and-climate-cop31.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wagner, |first1=Margarita Guiterez,Lynn |title=Linking Health and Climate Action: Five recommendations for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference from Santa Marta |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=14 May 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/health-and-climate-cop31 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wagner2026linking, author = {Wagner,, Margarita Guiterez,Lynn}, title = {{Linking Health and Climate Action: Five recommendations for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference from Santa Marta}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/health-and-climate-cop31}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }