India has refused to sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health. India cited the lack of practicality in curbing greenhouse gases use for cooling in the health sector, as the reason.
About COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health
- The Declaration was announced one day ahead of the first ever Health Day at a COP. The COP28 Health Day was organized on 3rd December 2023.
- Endorsed by 123 countries, the Declaration marks a world first in governments acknowledging the growing health impacts of climate change on communities and countries.
- It also acknowledges the large benefits to people’s health from stronger climate action, including by reducing air pollution and lowering health care costs.
- A set of new finance commitments on climate and health was announced to back up these political commitments.
- The Declaration was developed with the support of a number of ‘country champions’ including Brazil, Malawi, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Kenya, Fiji, India, Egypt, Sierra Leone, and Germany.
- This joint action comes as annual deaths from polluted air hit almost 9 million and as 189 million people are exposed to extreme weather-related events each year.
- The Declaration covers a range of action areas at the nexus of climate and health, including building more climate-resilient health systems, strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration to reduce emissions and maximize the health benefits of climate action, and increasing finance for climate and health solutions.
