Climate change is a global health crisis. The scale, nature and timing of adverse effects on physical and mental health, via direct and indirect pathways, vary within and between regions. Yet, there are common challenges that must be tackled by better integrated solutions for mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation (adjusting to what cannot be avoided).

In this UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Conference Side event, the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a global network of science academies, together with the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) summarised African and global perspectives. Presenters drew on the findings of a three-year global project IAP has worked together with its regional networks in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe to capture diversity in evaluating evidence from their own regions to inform policy for collective and customised action at national, regional and global levels.

In a panel discussion, speakers from Europe and Africa presented perspectives from science, civil society and national government on how to raise visibility and stimulate action on health issues in intergovernmental policy processes, looking ahead to COP27 and COP28.

The event took place in a hybrid format, both onsite in Bonn as well as on the digital conference platform. A recording is available here.