Description
Under the Paris Agreement, governments update their national climate plans – known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – every five years. These plans set out emissions reductions targets and interventions across sectors to address climate change. Health is a vital part of effective climate action. Ensuring the integration of health into climate policy protects populations, maximises economic benefits, and builds public support for ambitious climate policies which are so urgently needed.
In October 2026, the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) will launch the latest iteration of the Healthy NDC Scorecards, which provide a global assessment of how comprehensively health is integrated into national climate plans. The Scorecards examine, among other things, references to health impacts and air pollution, health-related actions across sectors, and financial and governance considerations.
By producing a global ranking highlighting where health is being addressed – and where important gaps remain – these scorecards provide policymakers with a tool to identify opportunities to strengthen the health dimension of climate action.
Ahead of COP31, this event will bring together governments, policymakers, international organizations, civil society, and health and climate experts to explore what the findings tell us about the current state of health integration in national climate planning, and what is needed to strengthen it in the next round of NDCs.
SPEAKERS
Welcome remarks | Suerie Moon, Professor of Practice, International Relations & Political Science Department and Director, Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute
Keynote address | Ambassador Sylvain Kalsakau, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Vanuatu to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
NDC Scorecard Results | Nova Tebbe, Post Doctoral Researcher, Global Climate and Health Alliance and Climate Solutions for Health Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Panel discussion
- Amy Savage, Technical Officer, Climate Change, Air Quality, Energy and Health Unit, World Health Organization
- Zakariya Mohammed, Director/Head, Climate Change and Environmental Health (CCEH) Division, Public Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, the Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Alexandra Malm, Climate, Environment & Health Advocacy Coordinating Officer, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders
Moderator | Rosie Tasker, Clean Air Liaison, Global Climate and Health Alliance
CO-HOSTED by
The Global Climate and Health Alliance, the Geneva Graduate Institute's Global Health Centre, the Geneva Environment Network, the Climate Solutions for Health Lab, the Wellcome Trust and the Clean Air Fund.
