Faculty, researchers, and students from Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are bringing to COP28 their expertise driving health-focused climate policies around the world. 

Harvard’s health delegation is hosting two side panels, on December 6 and 12, to convene COP member states and stakeholders to discuss interlinkages of climate change, environment, and health and how to develop synergies and policy coordination in national approaches to the UNFCCC and World Health Assembly.

These events are in addition to the panel sponsored by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability: “Reducing Global Methane Emissions: Imperatives, Opportunities, and Challenges.” A list of Harvard faculty attending COP can be found here.

DECEMBER 6: 15:00-16:30                                

Guatemala Pavilion
“Linking Agendas of the UNFCCC & the World Health Assembly in the Americas”

Co-hosted by the InterAmerican Institute for Global Change Research (IAI)

Event will be bilingual English/Spanish

Moderated government discussion: challenges & opportunities for cross-ministerial coordination

Moderators: Liz Willetts, Planetary Health Policy Director, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; Anna Stewart-Ibarra, IAI Executive Director

• Ligia Castro, Director of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Panamá
• Cecilia Nicolini, Secretary for Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Innovation, Argentina
• Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services, United States
• Ghisliane Echeverry, Director General, Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies, Colombia
• Izabella Texeira, Co-Chair, UNEP International Resource Panel, UN-DESA High-Level Advisory Board, former Minister of the Environment, Brasil

Q&A – With Panel of Health Organizations

• Andrea Hurtado Epstein, LAC Lead, Health Care Without Harm
• Maria Guevara, International Medical Secretary, Médecins Sans Frontières
• Milena Sergeeva, Liaison Officer for Latin America, Global Climate and Health Alliance
• Johanna Schauer-Berg, Member, World Medical Association

DECEMBER 12: 09:30-10:45

WHO Pavilion

“Linking Agendas of the UNFCCC & the World Health Assembly – Youth Dialogue”

The session will focus on challenges and opportunities for policy coordination and implementation based on shared responsibilities across ministries of environment and health, with special emphasis on questions and capacity building for youth involvement.

Moderators: Madeleine Kline and Hugh Shirley, Harvard Medical School students

• Katja Čič, Steering Committee Member and Co-Chair of the Climate Change and Health Working Group at WHO Youth Council, Programme Director at the International Youth Health Organization
• Deena Mariyam, Contact Point, UNFCCC Children and Youth Constituency (YOUNGO) Health Working Group
• Victor Lopez-Carmen, member, UN Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, Harvard Medical School Student and affiliate of Harvard Center for Health and Human Rights
• Jessica Beagley, Policy Lead, Global Climate and Health Alliance
• Edwin Castellanos, Science Director, InterAmerican Institute for Global Change Research