Panel discussions on the impact of climate change on health were held within the framework of COP29. Speaking at the event, Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and COP29 President, Mukhtar Babayev, emphasized that the Conference of the Parties would contribute to fostering climate solidarity. Babayev also called on all participating countries at COP29 to further strengthen their efforts to mitigate the negative effects of climate change.

In turn, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an important opportunity for the global community to come together and identify practical solutions.

Speaking at the panel session, Minister of Health of Azerbaijan, Teymur Musayev, emphasized that the impact of climate change on citizens' health and national economies is multifaceted and increasingly concerning. According to the minister, the frequency of extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, has increased over recent decades: “Around one-third of heat-related deaths are already linked to climate change. At the same time, the number of extreme weather disasters resulting from climate change has increased fivefold over the past 50 years.”

Noting that extreme weather events create ideal conditions for the spread of infectious diseases, the minister said, “Adopting national policies that minimize the risks and potential impacts of climate change can help limit health effects and their economic consequences.”

He concluded by saying, “In the economic development plan outlined by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, for the recently liberated regions of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, transforming these areas into green energy zones is considered a primary direction. The goal is to provide these areas with environmentally clean green energy by utilizing renewable energy with high potential and to explore the prospects of green technology implementation and formulate relevant proposals.”

Subsequently, a new co-founder was selected for the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). By unanimous decision, Azerbaijan was declared a co-founder of ATACH for the 2024-2026 period.

Speaking at the event, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Health, Teymur Musayev, noted that the Republic of Azerbaijan is joining ATACH as the COP29 Chair and will serve as the Alliance’s co-organizer from 2024 to 2026.

Based on the health agenda of COP26, COP27, COP28, COP29, and the 77th World Health Assembly’s global climate and health initiatives, ATACH provides an important global cooperation mechanism to strengthen action on climate change and health. At the same time, the Alliance is focused on establishing climate-resilient and low-carbon healthcare systems.

By joining ATACH, the Republic of Azerbaijan has committed to taking steps towards building a climate-resilient healthcare system that will be essential for protecting and promoting public health in a changing climate.

As co-organizers, the World Health Organization and the Republic of Azerbaijan are dedicated to working with past and future COP presidents, as well as all ATACH members, to create global momentum for climate and health action through ATACH.