WHO says six climate measures could save 1.6m lives

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that six climate and health measures could save nearly 1.6 million lives a year and bring large economic benefits.

The UN health agency released the report days before the COP31 climate conference in Turkey. It proposed heat-health warning systems, climate-resilient drinking water and sanitation infrastructure, improved hand hygiene, cleaner household energy and more efficient fossil fuel pricing.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the climate crisis was also a health crisis and that much harm could be prevented with existing tools.

The WHO said the measures could also avoid 16.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. It projected up to $5.4 trillion in annual fiscal benefits and a nearly $4 trillion economic boost from saving lives, avoiding disasters and reducing healthcare costs.

The agency said the study relied on ambitious scenarios and had data gaps and uncertainties. Tedros urged leaders going to COP31 to put health at the centre of climate action.