�Health impact of climate change

WHO-WIPO-WTO Trilateral Symposium

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Ambrosio Yobanolo

Vice-Chair, Technology Executive Committee (TEC),  UNFCCC

Introducción

UNFCCC Technology Mechanism

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Established in 2010, the Technology Mechanism is intended to enhance action on technology development and transfer to developing countries.

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Policy arm: Technology Executive Committee (TEC)

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Implementation arm: Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and its Advisory board

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TT:CLEAR: UNFCCC Home for Technology

https://unfccc.int/ttclear - https://www.ctc-n.org/

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First Joint Work Programme of the Technology Mechanism 2023-2027

TEC rolling workplan

CTCN programme of work

Common areas of work

Joint activities

Technology and gender

Technology and NDC

Technology roadmaps

Digitalization

Joint initiatives: #AI4ClimateAction

Joint events and meetings

Joint stakeholder engagement

Joint communications and outreach

+ more

National systems of innovations

Water-energy-food systems

Energy systems

Building and resilient infrastructure

Business and industry

Technology needs assessment

Be informed by science and be transformative: The TEC’s work will be guided by and take into consideration the findings of IPCC reports

IPCC: Health, Wellbeing and the Changing Structure of Communities

• The Global Burden of climate-sensitive diseases was estimated in 2019 to be 40 Million deaths (69.9% of total annual deaths) and 1,5 Billion disability-adjusted life year.

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• Cardiovascular diseases
• Respiratory tract infections
• Malaria
• Dengue
• Diarrhoeal diseases
• Salmonella
• Non-communicable respiratory illness
• Death from malignant neoplasms
• Diabetes
• Environmental heat and cold exposure
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Mental health

• A significant increase in ill health and premature deaths from climate-sensitive diseases and conditions is projected due to climate change.

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• Climate change is projected to significantly increase population exposure to heatwaves and heat-related morbidity and mortality.

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• The burdens of several climate-sensitive food-borne, waterborne, and vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are projected to increase.

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• Increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and climate change are projected to increase diet-related risk factors and related non-communicable diseases globally and increase undernutrition, stunting and related childhood mortality

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• Climate change is expected to have adverse impacts on well-being and to further threaten mental health

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• With every additional one degree Celsius of warming, the global risks of involuntary displacement due to flood events are projected to rise by approximately 50%

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• Climate change may increase susceptibility to violent conflict, primarily intra-state conflicts, by strengthening climate-sensitive drivers of conflict

IPCC Sustainable Development, Mitigation and Avoided Impacts

• Climate change is increasingly causing injuries, illnesses, malnutrition, threats to mental health and well-being, and deaths.

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• Value of health benefits from improved air quality exceed the costs of meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement by 1,4 to 2,45 depending on the scenario.

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• Models of health co-benefits show that a 1.5°C pathway could result in 152 million ± 43 million fewer premature deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2100

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• The health co-benefits of the NDCs for 2040 could result in annual reductions of 1.18 million air pollution-related deaths, 5.86 million diet-related deaths, and 1.15 million deaths due to physical inactivity

IPCC Key Synergies in Mitigation options with health benefits

• Low-emission energy sector and transport transitions will have multiple co-benefits, including improvements in air quality and health. The economic benefits on human health from air quality improvement can be of the same order of magnitude as mitigation costs, and potentially even larger.

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• Sustainable healthy diets’ promote all dimensions of individuals’ health and well-being; have low environmental pressure and impact; are accessible, affordable, safe and equitable; and are culturally acceptable, as described in FAO and WHO.

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• Sustainable urban planning and infrastructure design can also reduce flood risks, pressure on urban sewer systems, urban heat island effects, and can deliver health benefits from reduced air pollution. There could also be trade-offs. For example, increasing urban density to reduce travel demand, could imply high vulnerability to heat waves and flooding.

IPCC: Trade Instruments, Intellectual Property Rights, Legal Framework and their Impact on Climate Innovation

• International technology transfers can take place via three primary channels: (i) trade in goods, where technology is embedded in products; (ii) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), where enterprises transfer firm-specific technology to foreign affiliates; and (iii) patent licences, where third parties obtain the right to use technologies.

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• For countries with high environmental performance, FDI has a negligible impact, while countries with a lower environmental performance may benefit in terms of their environmental performance.

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• The role of IPRs in international transfer of climate mitigation technologies has been much discussed but also described as particularly controversial. The relationships between IPR, innovation, international technology transfer and local mitigation and adaptation are complex and there is no clear consensus on what kind of an IPR regime will be most beneficial for promoting technology transfer.

• In terms of ways forward different suggestions are made, including through the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement:
• by making decisions on IPR to developing countries on a case-by-case basis.
• by developing countries experimenting more with policies on IPR protection, or through brokering or patent-pooling institutions.
• Others also suggest that distinctions among country groups be made on the basis of levels of technological and economic development, with least-developed countries getting particular attention.

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• Examples are provided, with some experiences coming from the medical field:
• Compulsory licences.
• Fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) policies.
• Statement on licences of right.

Relevance for the COP Programme

Looking forward to COP 28

Follow the latest updates on technology-related matters on TT:CLEAR > https://unfccc.int/ttclear

Join the UN Climate Change Technology Linkedin Group to share and receive latest updates and information with the global community of climate technology

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14126588/

Engage with climate technology discussions on social media

#ClimateTech

#TechnologyMechanism

#TEC

1. Learn about technology events

2. Read the TEC policy recommendations

3. Follow the TEC meetings

4. Download TEC publications and briefs

5. See the TEC rolling workplan

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