India Refuses To Sign COP28 Declaration On Climate & Health

In a noteworthy move, India has declined to sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, citing practical challenges in reducing greenhouse gas use for cooling within the healthcare sector, as reported by PTI.

The Health Day at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) witnessed the absence of the Indian Health Ministry delegation, even though India extended support to the ministerial hosted by the COP28 Presidency, the World Health Organisation, and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.

The COP28 Declaration underscores the significance of urgent and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to address the critical nexus between climate change and global health. While 124 countries have endorsed the declaration, both India and the United States, prominent greenhouse gas emitters, are notably absent from the list of signatories.

A key contention arose as the draft outlined a commitment to reduce greenhouse gases for cooling applications within healthcare infrastructure, a measure India finds challenging to implement in the short term, according to sources.

India, grappling with substantial healthcare challenges compounded by climate change, expressed concerns that greenhouse gas reduction for cooling in the health sector could impede its ability to meet the growing demands for medical services, particularly in remote and underserved areas, reported Livemint.

During its G20 presidency, India emphasized resilient health, focusing on building a robust healthcare system, improving access to medical countermeasures, and facilitating the exchange of digital goods among nations.

The COP28 Declaration not only highlights the wide-ranging impacts of climate change on health but also promotes a holistic approach to understanding and mitigating the diverse health challenges posed by a changing climate. It addresses mental health, preservation of traditional medicinal knowledge, protection of livelihoods and cultures, and the complexities of climate-induced displacement and migration.

One of the central objectives of the declaration is the commitment to combat inequalities within and among countries, aligning with the pursuit of policies to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, focusing on good health and well-being.

The comprehensive approach aims to reduce poverty and hunger, improve health and livelihoods, strengthen social protection systems, enhance food security and nutrition, and ensure access to clean energy, safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene for all.

Acknowledging the carbon footprint of health systems, the declaration encourages steps to curb emissions and reduce waste in the health sector. This involves assessing greenhouse gas emissions of health systems, developing action plans, establishing nationally determined decarbonization targets, and implementing procurement standards for national health systems, including supply chains.

Meanwhile, Jess Beagley, Policy Lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance, expressed concern over India's absence from the list of endorsing countries, stating that as a leading global emitter and home to a significant portion of the world's population, India's decision sends a worrying message regarding global health considerations in the face of climate change impacts.

Also Read: Memory In Microbes: Unraveling Intriguing Findings Of Bacterial Memory Storage