Countries in the Western Pacific on the frontlines of the climate crisis, says WHO

Manila, Philippines | A pandemic, a polluted planet, and increasing incidence of cancer, heart disease and asthma. Amid all this, on World Health Day 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments and the public to protect “Our planet, our health” and to create societies focused on well-being.

Climate change is causing extensive health risks for countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region: from warmer temperatures increasing the range of malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases to extreme weather triggering more waterborne and foodborne diseases.

Each year, 3.5 million people in the Western Pacific die from environmental causes. Every 14 seconds, a person dies from air pollution in the Region. And over 90% of people globally breathe unhealthy air due to outdoor air pollution, largely resulting from the burning of the same fossil fuels that are driving climate change.

In 2020 and 2021 – two of the seven warmest years on record – record-breaking droughts, heatwaves, typhoons, floods and wildfires challenged the ability of health systems in the Western Pacific to protect and save lives from COVID-19 while simultaneously responding to climate-related emergencies.

““Recently, the UN Secretary General labelled the report of the International Panel on Climate Change as a ‘code red for humanity’. It is also a code red for health,” said Dr Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Our health and wellbeing are closely linked with the planet’s health. If we don’t urgently take action, we are risking our health in the future. Our children and our children’s children will suffer the most. We must act today.” 

In the Western Pacific Region, nowhere is the impact of climate change on human health more vivid than in the Pacific island countries and areas. Every year, small island developing states make up two thirds of the countries globally that suffer the highest relative losses from disasters.

“Pacific Islands have the smallest carbon footprint but bear the biggest burden from climate change,” said Dr Kasai.  

People’s lives and livelihoods are on the front line in the Pacific as rising sea levels and increasing tropical storms reduce access to fresh water, degrade beaches and reefs, and reduce arable land for growing healthy food.

Health systems are the main line of defence on these islands, not only against COVID-19 but also against climate-related shocks and stressors, including increases in vector-borne diseases and food insecurity.

At the same time, many health facilities in the Pacific are built near coastlines making them highly vulnerable during extreme weather events, which can not only damage their buildings and key infrastructures for safe water supplies and energy, but also disrupting the essential health services they provide. Without action to build the resilience of health facilities to withstand climate shocks, the impact of climate change and future pandemics are expected to further strain health systems and services and to disproportionately impact the most vulnerable people.

In other parts of the Western Pacific, rapid economic development and urbanization is contributing to high levels of air pollution and a rise in noncommunicable diseases, including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Every year, 2.2 million people in the Western Pacific die from breathing air containing high levels of pollutants both inside and outside of their homes. 

Children – especially those in low- and middle-income countries with fewer resources to mitigate the health impacts – are among the most at risk from unhealthy environments. Older people are also especially vulnerable to respiratory and other diseases caused by air pollution and airborne allergens.

The COVID-19 response has shown the power of countries and communities working together. Addressing climate change – and mitigating its health impacts – requires the same level of global collaboration from individuals, communities, governments and the private sector.