When the planet sneezes, we catch a cold

Hey,

Do you think healthcare is related to climate change?

Welcome to Green Jobs Rising - your daily dose of insights from the green industry.

In today's issue: Why is climate change a health emergency

The World Health Organization projects that between 2030 and 2050, climate change could cause 250,000 additional deaths every year from undernutrition, malaria, cholera and heat stress alone. Yet, climate change is still not widely seen as a health crisis.

So what is “climate health” and why does it matter now?

In an exclusive interview with Healthcare Rising, Kirigo Wachira, Chairperson of the Climate-Health Technical Working Group at the Federation of African Medical Students’ Associations, broke it down:

“A health system that is not climate-resilient will fail its people. And when health systems fail, societies cannot survive climate change.”

What is climate health?
Climate health looks at how climate change shapes our wellbeing.

Rising heat, droughts, floods and unpredictable weather fuel malnutrition, spread infectious diseases, and strain already fragile health systems.

Vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly, and low-income communities are hit hardest.

Why now?
For decades, climate talks focused on emissions and economics.

Health only started gaining attention in the 2000s, and it was not until COP26 in 2021 that health took centre stage with the launch of the COP Health Programme.

Since then, global declarations, including the COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health, have recognised that resilient health systems are central to climate action.

Africa’s role
Africa is the world’s most climate-vulnerable continent.

From droughts in East Africa to floods in West Africa, climate disasters are already driving food insecurity, displacement and disease outbreaks.

In response, the Africa CDC launched a Climate and Health Strategic Framework in 2025 to strengthen disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and build climate-resilient health systems.

Who needs to act?

• Governments: Integrate health into climate plans and access adaptation finance.

• Health professionals: Push for climate-health training in medical schools.

• Youth and civil society: Keep leaders accountable.

• Funders and partners: Support climate-resilient health projects.

Why this matters for green careers
The intersection of climate and health is creating new opportunities in research, policy, sustainable healthcare systems, supply chains and emergency response.

As climate action expands, so too will demand for talent that can bridge health and sustainability.

In one of our jobs segments, we’ll spotlight how green professionals can position themselves for roles in the climate-health space.

Stay tuned!