The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched the first Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health, aimed at raising awareness among policymakers and advocating for stronger actions to counteract the health impacts of climate change.
According to the WHO, Europe is warming faster than any other region, with one-third of all heat-related deaths occurring on the continent. The UN organisation estimates that 10% of European residents will be threatened by increased rainfall, which may result in rising water levels.
Former Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir has been appointed to lead the new commission. She emphasised that rising temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events, and environmental degradation pose significant threats to health and well-being in Europe and beyond.
Andrew Haines, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and adviser to Jakobsdóttir, highlighted risks that affect vulnerable populations in particular, ranging from the spread of infectious diseases to food insecurity.
The commission will cover 56 WHO Member States, including countries in Europe, Central Asia (from Armenia to Kyrgyzstan), and Western Asia, including Israel.
