Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/16/who-should-declare-climate-crisis-global-public-health-emergency-experts-say

Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent
Sat 16 May 2026 00.00 EDT

Exclusive: Commission says alert would trigger coordinated international response that could help avoid millions dying

The climate crisis should be declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization, or millions more people will die unnecessarily, leading international experts have said.

The independent pan-European commission on climate and health, which was convened by the WHO, concluded the climate crisis was such a worldwide threat to health that the WHO should declare it “a public health emergency of international concern” (Pheic).

The international spread of vector-borne disease, such as dengue and chikungunya, as well as the health impacts of extreme weather events, global heating, food insecurity and air pollution make a Pheic necessary, said the commission’s report, which will be presented to European ministers on Sunday before the WHO’s world health assembly starts on Monday.

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