How health can support ambitious implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
This report makes the case for a health-centred approach to the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with recommendations to deliver more popular, cost-effective and fair climate policy.
Report at a glance
This report was produced by Wellcome with input from around 20 organisations or bodies working in climate, global health and advocacy.
- Strategic programme:
- What's inside:
- The case for health-centred policy in NDC implementation
- Who this is for:
- Policymakers, government officials, independent advisory bodies and formal implementation partners of climate action plans
- Creative commons:
When we refer to ‘climate action’, we mean policy choices made by government in response to climate change, across adaptation and mitigation.
By ‘health’, we refer to both physical and mental health, along with the social determinants of good health—noting that health is deeply interconnected with equity
Summary
Wellcome believes that putting health at the heart of climate action offers the most direct path to a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive.
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the primary tools that governments use to translate the landmark Paris Agreement into national climate action. While we have seen progress made in the decade following the Paris talks, current NDCs lack the ambition and urgency needed to keep the 1.5°C warming target within reach.
COP30 in Belém, Brazil marked a shift from target-setting to policy implementation. This report highlights a critical opportunity to embed health into climate action plans. A health-centred approach helps to ensure that climate ambition achieves healthier, fairer and more resilient communities. It will also assist in creating the public support and political will needed to not only fully implement current commitments, but go further, ensuring that today’s targets are the floor, not the ceiling, of what can be achieved this decade.
Key themes
Unlocking public and political support
Health is already a well-established priority for most governments and is recognised as foundational to other priorities, such as economic growth and productivity. Health arguments resonate with the public, providing a unifying narrative that builds support from across the political spectrum for climate action. The health community is also well respected and trusted, making them strong advocates for high climate ambition. Taken together, this can help unlock the public support and political will needed to pursue greater climate ambition.
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Conclusion
Wellcome is advocating for a health-centred approach to climate policy implementation – one that puts people front and centre.
This approach prioritises solutions that deliver tangible, local benefits today, while ensuring public engagement in decision making and protection against regressive impacts. It promotes climate narratives that resonate broadly and build support across the political spectrum. Crucially, in the current political climate, a health-centred approach reframes the debate on the cost of climate action: it demonstrates that inaction comes with a severe economic and social cost, while well-designed climate policies are cost effective and tackle multiple societal challenges simultaneously.
Building a health-centred climate policy approach and embedding it across government is a long-term endeavour that will be highly dependent on local circumstances and resources. By focusing on health within NDC implementation, countries can help deliver better outcomes for people, planet and economy.
Recommendations
First steps for government:
- Assess the health impacts of all climate policies to help avoid and mitigate unintended health risks and highlight opportunities to improve health
- Adopt a Health-in-All-Policies approach and prioritise health outcomes across all government departments
- Include health ministries in NDC implementation working groups to highlight potential health impacts, champion health considerations, and help break down departmental silos
- Create and use a new ‘people-centred’ narrative for climate action that focuses on health and wellbeing, and the economic gains that come from a healthier, fairer and more productive society
- Prioritise ongoing community engagement, especially among underrepresented groups, to protect against regressive outcomes and political backlash.
Downloads
Contact us
To discuss Wellcome's work on NDCs, contact Simon Hall, Policy Advisor: s.hall@wellcome.org
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