COP29 aimed to continue lifting the political profile of the climate-health nexus, and mainstreaming health in the global climate change agenda. 

WHO welcomed the growing recognition of health within climate discussions at COPs - with the COP29 Health Pavilion and a significant number of high-level events throughout the two weeks of the Climate Conference. Ahead of COP29, WHO released the COP29 Special Report on Climate and Health - “Health is the Argument for Climate Action” highlighting the health impacts of climate change, the health benefits of climate action and proposing climate strategies to improve global health, and the  NDC Guidance to ensure Member States consider health when reassessing their Nationally Determined Contribution in 2025.

COP29 Azerbaijan Presidency launched 14 Action initiatives at COP29 in Baku, many of which are related to human health, e.g. COP29 Baku Initiative on Human Development for Climate Resilience and COP29 Health Day on November 18. Health was also highlighted at several high-level events that took place during the World Leaders Climate Action Summit at the beginning of COP. WHO in partnership with members of the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate Change and Health (ATACH)  continued promoting commitments to build climate resilient and sustainable low carbon health systems. 

Ahead of COP29, the WHO/UNCC:Learn online course "Climate Change Negotiations and Health" was updated with content relevant specifically to the negotiations. The online course features key information on climate change and its impacts on human health, provides an overview of the climate change negotiations so far, and considers entry points to address health issues and priorities within climate change negotiations and policies. A dedicated Climate Classroom took place online on November 7 at 13:00 CET.

An outline of health-related initiatives and events at COP29 can be found below. Learn more about COP29 from the COP29 Official webpage and official programme.

12 November

13:15-14:45, Room SE3: ONE UN event on Human Rights at COP29 "Achieving transformative climate action through gender-responsive, rights-based economic approaches";

17:15-18:45, Meeting Room 24: High-Level UN Event by WHO and UNICEF “The Health Argument for Climate Action, focusing on maternal, newborn, and child health";

13 November

11:00 – 12:30, NGIC/UNDP Blue zone Pavilion: side event hosted by WHO, Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), UNDP, “Integrating health into Nationally Determined Contributions: healthy NDCs”;

14:30-16:00, Meeting Room 21: UNFCCC Official Side Event “Turning Ambition into Action: Scaling Up Adaptation Finance for Achieving the Global Goal on Adaptation”;

17:00-18:30, Meeting Room 23: High-Level Party Event: “COP Presidencies Bringing Health to the Centre of the Climate Agenda” (a recording is available on the COP29 Health Pavilion webpage).

18 November 2024: COP29 Health Day

High-level COP29 Presidency event “Investing in Human Development for Climate Resilience”, 09:30-11:30, Nasimi Room

High-level Roundtable on Climate and Health, 14:00-16:00, Hirkan Room

As part of this event, several initiatives were officialized:

- Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health. COP29 aimed to play a key role in advancing health-related commitments made in previous COPs by embedding health into climate action on a permanent basis. This will be achieved through the establishment of a Coalition involving the presidencies of COP26 to COP30 and WHO. The Coalition's objectives are to mobilize collective efforts and funding to enhance climate and health initiatives, promote adherence to previous health-related pledges and commitments, and harmonize ongoing climate and health projects

- Operationalization of the Health Impact Investment Platform (HIIP). The HIIP, established at the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in June 2023 by WHO, the Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank, and European Investment Bank, aims to provide a coordinated approach to health financing for low- and lower-middle-income countries, focusing on public health and primary healthcare. The founding partners plan to make over €1.5 billion available through concessional loans and grants. This initiative is put forward by MDBs, which aim to use COP29 to launch the operationalization of HIIP.

On 14 November, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) announced its commitment of a US$10 million grant to WHO to implement the HIIP.

19 November 2024: COP29 Food, Water and Agriculture Day

High-level Roundtable on One Health for Nurturing Human Development, 15:30-16:30, Nasimi Room

A High-level Roundtable on One Health advocated for the integration of One Health principles into COP processes and emphasized the need for a holistic approach to addressing global health and environmental challenges.

This Initiative entailed a COP29 Declaration on Multisectoral Actions Pathways (MAP) to Resilient and Healthy Cities on paving the way for more multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnerships adopted by participants and partners present at the 3rd Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change at COP29, including national governments, local governments, UN agencies, academia, NGOs and others.  This declaration highlighted the need to reimagine cities for healthier populations through reduced air pollution, human-powered and public transport, and access to nature. It was designed to elevate ongoing processes and accelerate multi-level climate action towards enhanced revised NDCs in 2025.

Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change, 09:00-10:30, Plenary 2

1. Green Construction, Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Climate Resilience in Cities;
2. Urban Transport and Infrastructure;
3. Nature, Health and Resilience/ Agriculture in Cities;
4. Urban Climate Finance.

High-level roundtable on Nature, Health and Resilience/Agriculture in Cities: Addressing extreme heat, promoting nature-based solutions and urban agriculture in cities to support resilience and improve health, 13:00-14:30, Hirkan Room

• Passive Cooling: Utilizing nature, climate-sensitive urban design, reflective surfaces, and smart buildings. 
• Improved energy efficiency: Enhancing the efficiency of buildings and cooling equipment to improve thermal comfort and better quality of life of people. 
• Promoting nature-based solutions, including through urban agriculture to support resilience and quality of life of people.

On 21 November, nearly 50 Countries signed the Baku Declaration on Water for Climate Action which commits to taking integrated approaches to combat the causes and impacts of climate change on water basins.

- COP29 Health Pavilion, including a Day dedicated to the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). As of December 2024, over 90 countries have joined the ATACH at Minister of Health Level, committing to building climate resilient and low carbon sustainable health systems, and other priorities on climate change and health.

- COP29 Special Report on climate change and health, developed by WHO and the global health community.

- Quality criteria for integrating health into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

- UN High-level Side Event “The Health Argument for Climate Action, with a special focus on maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health” in collaboration with UNICEF (12 November 2024, 16:45-18:15, SE4):
This event highlighted the crucial interconnection between health and climate change, with a focus on child health and well-being, and the importance of the health co-benefits of climate action. 

- High-Level Party Event: “COP Presidencies Bringing Health to the Centre of the Climate Agenda”, (13 November, 17:00-18:30, Meeting Room 23) hosted by World Health Organization, Spain, Azerbaijan, COP29 Presidency.

Pre-COP activities:

- Side event at UNGA79: The Health Argument for Climate Action (September 23).

- Regular webinars convened by WHO and COP29 Presidency:
The first webinar, held on September 12, was dedicated to announcing the health initiatives at COP29. It was very successful and attracted over 600 registrations, and the COP29 Presidency has proposed hosting regular information sessions ahead of the upcoming Climate Conference. The second webinar took place on October 23.