Brazil launches the first climate adaptation plan for health at COP30

The initiative aims to enhance the health sector’s resilience to climate change through strengthened surveillance systems, capacity building, innovation, and evidence-based policymaking. To support implementation, philanthropic organizations have pledged an investment of USD 300 million

By Mayara Souto and Edson Carvalho/COP30

On Thursday, November 13, Brazil launched the Belém Health Action Plan to support the health sector’s adaptation to climate change—the first international climate adaptation document dedicated specifically to health. The plan outlines actions for countries to address the already tangible impacts of climate change, which pose significant risks especially to the most vulnerable populations.

According to the COP30 Presidency, the plan positions Brazil at the forefront of global discussions on health and climate change. “Yes, in Brazil we have the Unified Health System (SUS), and bringing SUS to the heart of COP elevates health as a priority issue. We already have 80 countries and international partners engaged in this Action Plan, which is essential for advancing new steps,“ stated Ana Toni, CEO of COP30.

Brazil’s Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, emphasized that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has entrusted the country with the mission of making COP30 the conference of implementation and truth. "Brazil’s response is clear: it is time to move from reflection to joint action. Faced with an already altered climate, there is no alternative but for governments and public policies to adapt and confront climate change."

The Belém Health Action Plan is structured around three interconnected lines of action, guided by cross-cutting principles of health equity, climate justice, and participatory governance. These pillars include: surveillance and monitoring; evidence-based policies, strategies, and capacity strengthening; and innovation, production, and digital health. Implementation will be coordinated in collaboration with the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), under the supervision of the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Adaptation must be treated with the same seriousness and political commitment as mitigation. For many countries, adaptation is a matter of immediate survival,“ added the Minister, referring to the plan’s concrete measures to address extreme events such as heavy rainfall, flooding, and droughts.

Urgency of Adaptation

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom reaffirmed that “the climate crisis is a health crisis,” directly affecting national health systems. He recalled that climate adaptation for health is already embedded in the Paris Agreement and must be implemented.

“For decades, WHO has called for the adaptation of health systems and the strengthening of resilience to the climate crisis. The Brazilian government’s Action Plan is a way forward,” he stated in a video message sent to the COP30 Health Ministerial Meeting.

Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), reiterated that the impacts on health systems are already being felt. “We are no longer speaking of potential outcomes. Unfortunately, global warming is a reality and is accelerating. The most vulnerable communities undoubtedly bear the heaviest burdens,” he lamented.

Barbosa then presented alarming data: heat has increased by 20% since the 1990s, and 550,000 people die each year due to extreme heat. “The Belém Action Plan is a major step forward. It serves as a guide. With it, we are able to respond to events such as tornadoes, cyclones, and similar occurrences. We must also clarify and strengthen the training of health professionals,” he added.

“The Belém Health Plan now provides us with a foundation. From here, we need coordinated, organized, and well-funded efforts to put these policies into practice,” concluded Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Funding

To support implementation of the Action Plan, the Climate and Health Funders Coalition announced an initial investment of USD 300 million to support this international commitment. The network brings together more than 35 philanthropic organizations from various countries.

The immediate focus of the funding is to accelerate solutions, innovations, policies, and research addressing extreme heat, air pollution, and climate-sensitive infectious diseases. Resources will also strengthen the integration of critical climate and health data to support resilient health systems capable of protecting lives and livelihoods.

The Coalition comprises institutional and individual funders operating at international, national, and regional levels, with the shared goal of improving health and saving lives. Participating funders include: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Gates Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Philanthropy Asia Alliance (Temasek Trust), and Wellcome.

Context

The commitment represents the health sector’s principal contribution to the global climate mobilization proposed by the COP30 Presidency. The document is open to voluntary endorsement by countries, international organizations, and supported by civil society, academia, the private sector, and philanthropic institutions.

The plan is also part of the COP30 Action Agenda, aligned with Objective 16, which promotes resilient health systems in the face of the climate crisis. It directly responds to Article 7 of the Paris Agreement, which establishes the Global Goal on Adaptation, and complements World Health Assembly resolutions (WHA61.19, WHA77.14, and WHA77.2) as well as the UAE–Belém Work Programme developed since COP28.