As world leaders open pivotal climate talks at COP-27 in Sharm El Sheikh next week, the stakes will be too high for our planet to end this year’s conference without resolving crucial, pending issues on finance, support on adaptation and resilience, and implementation of recent climate commitments. COP27 will be a further opportunity for the world to come together and demonstrate the requisite political will to take on the climate challenge through concerted, collaborative and impactful action.

But discussion around climate change and its impact on the world’s population cannot take place without acknowledging the importance of global public health and how this is inextricably linked with climate change and the environment. The World Health Organization will have a key role at the conference to highlight the health-environment nexus and critically, to ensure the inclusion of health content in the negotiations.