About

World Health Organisation(WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care and collective defence against transnational threats.

Climate Change and Human Health
 
Climate change is a significant and emerging threat to public health, and changes the way we must look at protecting vulnerable populations. 
The most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirmed that there is overwhelming evidence that humans are affecting the global climate, and highlighted a wide range of implications for human health. Climate variability and change cause death and disease through natural disasters, such as heatwaves, floods and droughts.
 
In addition, many important diseases are highly sensitive to changing temperatures and precipitation. These include common vector- borne diseases such as malaria and dengue; as well as other major killers such as malnutrition and diarrhoea. Climate change already contributes to the global burden of disease, and this contribution is expected to grow in the future.
The impacts of climate on human health will not be evenly distributed around the world. Developing country populations, particularly in Small Island States, arid and high mountain zones, and in densely populated coastal areas, are considered to be particularly vulnerable. Fortunately, much of the health risk is avoidable through existing health programmes and interventions. Concerted action to strengthen key features of health systems, and to promote healthy development choices, can enhance public health now as well as reduce vulnerability to future climate change.
WHO supports member states in protecting public health from the impacts of climate change, and provides the health-sector voice within the overall UN response to this global challenge.   

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Strategy

In response to the UN Secretary-General pledge of last June 2007 to help safeguard the planet and develop more climate neutral and environmentally sustainable practices within UN operations, the World Health Organization plans to implement a global framework to facilitate the reduction of the carbon footprint of WHO offices and operations globally.
 
Objectives

Our main objectives are:

• To develop an inventory of our carbon emissions using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol of the WRI/WBCSD , as recommended by UN EMG;
• To undertake an economic analysis, and establish cost-effective mitigation options to reduce emissions;
• To set targets for future emissions reductions to reduce WHO’s carbon footprint.

The objectives are to be achieved in phases to be completed over the next 3 years.

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