The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to host a three-day conference in Geneva aiming to help countries better protect human health from risks associated with climate change.

The first Global Conference on Health and Climate will begin tomorrow (August 27) at WHO Headquarters.

The conference will produce a set of key proposals to Member States to define the international health response to climate change, renew and guide WHO’s work plan; and define specific initiatives for health and climate.

WHO experts will brief journalists about those risks.

Climate impacts the quality of air and water, levels of food supplies and the security of shelter, a WHO statement said, adding that major killers such as diarrhoeal diseases, malnutrition, malaria and dengue are expected to worsen as the climate changes.

Areas with weak health infrastructure – mostly in low and middle-income countries – will be the least able to cope without assistance to prepare and respond to a changing climate.

In addition these changes disproportionately impact the most vulnerable populations; the poor, the disadvantaged and children, the WHO statement said.

 WHO experts will also highlight the health benefits countries can achieve by reducing emissions of climate pollutants, for example through better transport and energy policies, cutting the very large disease of air pollution, which is now estimated to cause approximately one in every eight deaths globally.

The conference takes place one month ahead of the United Nations Climate Summit in New York. – TradeArabia News Service