WHO estimates that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. This includes the climate crisis which is the single biggest health threat facing humanity.
Over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from burning of fossil fuels. A heating world is seeing mosquitos spread diseases farther and faster than ever before. Extreme weather events, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and affecting their health. Pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans, the highest mountains, and have made their way into our food chain. Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease while generating a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed further weaknesses in all areas of society and underlined the urgency of creating sustainable well-being societies committed to achieving equitable health now and for future generations without breaching ecological limits.
On World Health Day 2022, WHO will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep people and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.
Call to Action
The use platform is seeking more content on good health and well-being and climate action. We invite interested citymakers and local governments to contribute:
- case studies
- recommendations for publications, reports or other useful resources for our use picks format.
- announcements for events, conferences, awards and other ongoing activities for save the date in our bi-weekly Community News.
Upload your case study online.