Paris climate meeting: Bangladesh urges WHO to move from talks to action

Bangladesh has urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to move from climate talks to action to protect global public health.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain made the call at a high-level strategic meeting on climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems in Paris yesterday (25 June).

“There has been enough planning and discussion. This is no longer the time for ideas alone. We must now demonstrate action to save lives,” he said.

The meeting was jointly organised by the French Ministry of Health, WHO, and the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH).

The minister said climate change is already taking a toll on Bangladesh’s public health, driving up communicable and non-communicable diseases, worsening water shortages in coastal areas and straining the healthcare system.

He said vast coastal areas, from Cox’s Bazar to the country’s southern districts, are facing an acute shortage of safe drinking water due to rising salinity, polluted water sources, and declining groundwater levels.

He called for greater international support, including a dedicated climate finance for health fund for low- and middle-income countries facing climate-related health risks.

The minister urged the WHO to develop practical guidelines for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from health systems and strengthen coordination among the health, environment, energy, and water sectors.

Sakhawat said Bangladesh has completed a national climate and health risk assessment and developed the Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) for 2026–2030.

He also expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the ongoing heatwave in France and the recent earthquake in Venezuela.

The meeting was attended by Anita Van De Ande, secretary-general of the Netherlands’ Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport, and Dr Gloria J Balboa, undersecretary of the Philippines’ Department of Health.

The minister traveled to Copenhagen on 21 June at the invitation of Unicef before visiting Paris on 24 June at the invitation of the French Ministry of Health and the WHO. He is scheduled to return to Bangladesh tomorrow.