Accra, June 1, GNA – African climate negotiators have renewed calls for health to become a central pillar of global climate action, warning that climate change is increasingly evolving into a major public health crisis across the continent.
The call was made during a Climate and Health Capacity Building Workshop on Sunday, organised ahead of the 64th Session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to take place in Bonn, Germany.
The workshop brought together climate negotiators, technical experts, youth climate leaders, and representatives from key institutions to strengthen Africa’s engagement on climate and health issues in ongoing international climate negotiations.
Speaking at the opening session, Nana Dr Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), emphasised that the climate crisis was no longer solely an environmental issue but a direct threat to the health and well-being of millions of Africans.
He noted that rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, devastating floods, worsening food insecurity, air pollution, and shifting disease patterns are placing unprecedented pressure on health systems across the continent.
“Climate and health are inseparable realities for Africa,” he stated.
Dr Amoah said the growing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters are exposing vulnerable populations to new and emerging health risks, while further straining already fragile public health systems.
The workshop, supported by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), builds on momentum generated by the launch of Africa’s first Climate and Health Curriculum for negotiators.
The curriculum, developed by Amref Health Africa, was introduced in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, last year to enhance the capacity of African negotiators to effectively integrate health considerations into climate policy discussions.
Dr Amoah said the body of scientific evidence linking climate change to adverse health outcomes continued to expand, making it imperative for African countries to prioritise health in climate policy and adaptation planning.
“We continue to witness climate-sensitive diseases expanding into new geographies, health infrastructure being damaged by extreme weather events, and increasing burdens on already stretched public health systems in Africa,” he said.
The workshop attracted participants from key organisations, including the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa (WHO-AFRO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Amref Health Africa, and IISD.
Discussions focused on emerging climate-related health risks and strategies to strengthen Africa’s negotiating positions on adaptation, resilience, and climate finance.
Dr Amoah also highlighted progress made by African negotiators in securing the inclusion of health considerations under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), a key component of the Paris Agreement.
He explained that recent developments — including the adoption of the Belém Adaptation Indicators and ongoing discussions under the Baku Adaptation Roadmap — present a significant opportunity for Africa to influence how global adaptation efforts are measured, financed, and implemented.
“Following the adoption of the Belém Adaptation Indicators and ongoing discussions under the Baku Adaptation Roadmap, Africa has a unique opportunity to shape how adaptation is measured, financed and implemented globally,” he said.
“We must ensure that health indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation are meaningful, context-specific, and responsive to Africa’s realities.”
The AGN Chair underscored Africa’s vulnerability to climate change, stressing the urgent need to strengthen health system resilience and ensure that climate finance mechanisms adequately support health adaptation measures.
He called on negotiators to develop unified African positions and coordinated messaging to ensure that health remains firmly embedded in climate negotiations and future policy frameworks.
Describing health as “the human face of the climate crisis,” Dr. Amoah argued that efforts to address climate change would be incomplete without prioritising the protection of lives and livelihoods.
“If climate negotiations are ultimately about protecting people, then health must remain at the centre of global climate action,” he concluded.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
1 June 2026
Writer: Albert Oppong-Ansah
Email: [email protected]