Brazil to Unveil 'Belem Health Action Plan' at COP30 to Combat Climate Impacts

Brazil to Launch Groundbreaking Health Adaptation Strategy at COP30

Brazil is poised to introduce an unprecedented strategy aimed at adapting its national health system to the escalating challenges of climate change. Known as the Belem Health Action Plan (BHAP), this initiative is scheduled for its official launch during Health Day on November 13, 2025, at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. The plan, developed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), seeks to establish a global roadmap for creating climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems.

Core Pillars of the Belem Health Action Plan

The Belem Health Action Plan is structured around three fundamental pillars designed to comprehensively address the health impacts of climate change. These include:

• Comprehensive Climate and Health Surveillance: This pillar aims to strengthen health surveillance systems to effectively respond to climate-related threats, such as outbreaks of vector-borne diseases and the mental health impacts of extreme weather events. It involves linking environmental, meteorological, and climate monitoring data with health surveillance systems to anticipate public health threats.
• Preparedness of Services and Professionals: Focusing on the readiness of healthcare infrastructure and personnel, this aspect seeks to reorganize healthcare, prevent health crises, and implement measures like redefining hospital care and rest hours during periods of extreme heat. It also includes creating clinical protocols that adjust medication doses based on temperature variations.
• Sustainable Innovation in the Medical Supply Chain: This pillar proposes investments in research and technology to develop solutions tailored to the specific needs of vulnerable populations and to reduce the health sector's environmental impact. It also emphasizes creating strategic stockpiles of supplies, vaccines, and medicines.

Mariângela Simão, Secretary for Health and Environmental Surveillance at the Ministry of Health, who coordinated the initiative, highlighted that the plan is grounded in principles of climate justice and health equity, recognizing the unequal impacts of climate change.

Addressing Urgent Global Health Challenges

The launch of the Belem Health Action Plan comes amidst stark warnings about the health consequences of climate change. The WHO estimates that the climate crisis could lead to an additional 250,000 deaths annually between 2030 and 2050, primarily from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress. The global costs to health systems are projected to range between $2 billion and $4 billion annually. Epidemiologist Ethel Maciel, former Secretary of Health Surveillance and Brazil's special envoy to the conference, underscored the necessity of adapting services, stating, 'If heat waves become more frequent, services will have to change. We can't maintain the same schedule if going out between noon and 4 p.m. becomes risky for the population.'

Brazil's own recent experiences, including a significant dengue outbreak and historic flooding, underscore the urgency of such a plan. The plan also aims to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into climate emergency responses.

COP30: A Platform for Health and Climate Action

COP30, scheduled from November 10 to 21, 2025, in Belém, marks the first time the UN Climate Change Conference will be held in the Amazon region, symbolizing the critical intersection of climate, biodiversity, development, and health. Health is prominently featured as Objective 16 in the COP30 Action Agenda, under 'Fostering Human and Social Development,' emphasizing the recognition of health as both a frontline impact area and a lever for broader social and economic resilience. The Belem Health Action Plan will be accompanied by two supporting reports focusing on Evidence and Social Participation, further solidifying its scientific and community-driven foundation.