The COP26 UN climate conference saw over 40,000 delegates gather in Glasgow, the United Kingdom, over the span of two weeks - from 31 October to 13 November  2021. Representatives from 197 countries gathered to agree on the rules to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, as well as an improved support package for vulnerable countries. WHO representatives joined a record number of health leaders at COP26 with the aim of positively influencing an ambitious outcome with their health argument for climate action.

Find out how health was featured in COP26:

Supported by the UK government as the Presidency of COP26, the World Health Organization (WHO), Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) and the UNFCCC Climate Champions, the COP26 Health Programme establishes the building blocks for a transformational change to protect the health of people and the planet.

Initiatives under the COP26 Health Programme include:

• Building climate resilient health systems;
• Developing low carbon sustainable health systems;
• Adaptation Research for Health;
• The inclusion of health priorities in Nationally Determined Contributions;
• Raising the voice of health professionals as advocates for stronger ambition on climate change.

Currently, over 60 countries have formally committed, at the Minister of Health level, to at least one of the initiatives on climate resilient and low carbon sustainable health systems promoted under the COP26 Health Programme.

The Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) acts as a platform to bring together government institutions that have signed on to the COP26 Health Programme and relevant partner organizations to coordinate efforts, and exchange knowledge and best practices. Learn more about ATACH on the dedicated webpage.

WHO and its partners hosted an extensive series of events at the COP26 UN climate conference, in order to ensure health and equity are placed at the center of the climate negotiations.

Key events included the 2021 Global Conference on Health and Climate Change on November 6, which convened health leaders from around the world on the sideline of COP26, and the announcement of country commitments under the COP26 Health Programme on November 9.

The COP26 Health Pavilion offered a rich 2-week programme of over 60 events, showcasing evidence, initiatives and solutions to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change across regions, sectors and communities.

COP26 (31 October - 12 November 2021, Glasgow, United Kingdom)

At COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021, WHO contributed to mainstreaming health into the negotiations by organizing the 2021 Global Conference on Health and Climate Change and the UN high-level side event, producing a COP26 Special report on climate change and health, releasing a joint open letter from the health professionals, producing key health messages and case studies for the COP26 Presidency’s priority action areas, and hosting the first of its kind COP26 Health Pavilion with over 60 side events on climate and environment.

COP26 also marked the launch of the COP26 Health Programme and related commitments to bring a stronger health focus and ambition to the UN climate conference in Glasgow.