100 countries commit to climate action for health – a key moment for patients and health systems
23 October 2025
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that 100 countries and areas have now joined the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), committing to climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems. World Health Organization
For the WPA, this milestone holds great importance. Climate change directly affects patients’ health through rising temperatures, floods, and poor air quality. When health systems are not prepared, these impacts can disrupt care and increase patient vulnerability. By joining ATACH, countries acknowledge these risks and show their commitment to protect health and strengthen resilience.
What this means for patients
• A low-carbon and climate-resilient health system is more reliable, especially in crisis. That means fewer disruptions in care, less chance of services being overwhelmed when climate-events strike.
• Mitigation and adaptation measures must prioritize vulnerable patients and communities. Small island states such as Tuvalu, which recently joined ATACH, are already facing serious health impacts from climate change. The WHO highlights these countries as being at urgent risk and in need of immediate support.
• Knowledge-sharing through ATACH means best practices can travel faster. WPA welcomes the fact that ATACH now hosts public repositories of case-studies, resources and country-documents (World Health Organization).
Why the 100-country mark is significant
Reaching 100 commitments suggests that climate-health is no longer a niche issue in global health policy. It is becoming mainstream. For patients this means a higher chance that national health plans will include climate-resilience, preparedness for extreme events, sustainable infrastructure, and focus on protecting health from environmental risk.
What WPA will do
• We will advocate for patient-voices to be included in climate-health planning and implementation. It is vital that patients, especially those most vulnerable, are part of the design of resilient health systems.
• We will push for transparency: how are the commitments being turned into action? How are resources allocated? How is progress tracked?
• We will raise attention on lower-income and vulnerable countries, where climate impacts on health are greatest and health system resilience is weakest. Joining ATACH is a step, but implementation is what matters for patients.
• We will facilitate sharing of patient-facing resources about climate-health risks, what patients can expect and what health systems are doing, so that patients are informed, prepared and empowered.
The milestone of 100 countries committing to climate action for health is a positive signal. But for the WPA, the work ahead is equally important. It is not enough to commit. The real test is in performance, in protecting patients from climate shocks, and in ensuring health system equity, responsiveness and sustainability in the face of a changing climate.
We call on all member states of ATACH to accelerate progress, involve patients and communities in decision-making, and deliver measurable results for health resilience. The health and futures of millions of patients depend on this work.