Asia Regional Workshop on Climate and Health Co-benefits

Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan, Director General - Ministry of Health, Malaysia 

Prof. Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director - Sunway Centre for Planetary Health

Dr. Rajat Khosla, Director - United Nations University-International Institute of Global Health (UNU-IIGH), Malaysia 

Distinguished participants,

Good morning.

It’s a pleasure to be here today. I welcome you to the Asia Workshop on Climate and Health Co-Benefits.

I would like to congratulate the UNU International Institute for Global Health and the Sunway Centre on Planetary Health for co-organizing this regional workshop and bringing together a host of esteemed speakers to deliberate on a critical aspect of our collective well-being – the intersection of health and climate change, especially during this unprecedented time of the triple planetary crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change.

In the words of the United Nations Secretary-General at the World Action Summit last September, we are witnessing “Earth’s vital signs [are] failing: record emissions, ferocious fires, deadly droughts and the hottest year ever.”

Human well-being is intrinsically linked to the health of our planet, but our planet is showing symptoms of illness. Tackling the existential challenge of climate change is not just about protecting the Earth; it is the single yet most important step towards safeguarding our well-being.

The discussions over the next two days promise to unpack different aspects of the inextricable link between health and climate.

To start, it is important to recognize a fundamental reality: Only about 10 to 20 percent of modifiable health outcomes are shaped by factors within traditional health systems.

Improving health and wellbeing extends well beyond access to quality healthcare; it encompasses healthy food, a sustainable environment, and health-enabling energy and financial systems. This holds true, especially for vulnerable communities facing serious inequities and structural barriers to good health.

Regrettably, we are not tapping into the full potential of health impact data and imperatives in our discussions about climate, food, and urban planning. The powerful health gains from the co-benefits of climate action and health often remain overlooked in the political spotlight.

This is a missed opportunity, leading to a lack of ambitious systems change and hindering progress on both health and planetary outcomes.

Our call to action for transformative change, echoed at the COP28 first-ever dedicated Health Day, involves harnessing health impact data and integrating the health impact argument into various advocacy efforts.

We must collaborate to craft compelling narratives that galvanize public support for systems change, bridging equity divides and providing policymakers with evidence. We must construct persuasive arguments for transformative action in climate mitigation, sustainable food production, eco-friendly urban development, and renewable energy policies.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Living healthily on a healthy planet will require that we all understand and embrace the imperative to integrate health considerations into climate, food, urban, and various policies across sectors – in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate the 2024 Planetary Health Summit and 6th Annual Meeting (PHAM2024) in April, organized by the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, in partnership with the Planetary Health Alliance. Scientists, educators, policymakers, civil-society, private-sector representatives will come together, here in Malaysia, in a pathbreaking effort to delve into the complex interlinkages between the environment, well-being, and behavior.

This will be a unique opportunity to advance the discourse on climate and health outcomes and co-benefits, tying them to the broader conversation on planetary health.

This Workshop will significantly contribute to building the body of knowledge necessary to inform decision-making and to collectively shape a healthier and more sustainable future.

It is encouraging to note that the government of Malaysia is considering systemic shifts to advance progress on both planetary and human well-being, anchored in a whole-of-government whole-of-society approach to address interlinkages across the economic, social and environmental dimension.

Through collective action, we hold the power to shape a legacy of well-being and sustainability for generations to come.

I wish you all a productive two days and thank you for the opportunity to address this distinguished audience.