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Sri Devarajan, 2023 COP Fellow
‘Why is a Master of Public Health student going to COP28?’ is a question many, including myself, have posed. If someone had asked me about COP28 or how climate change was health-related a few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to give you a great answer. However, through my degree, I have been able to understand the grave effects that climate change poses on the health and well-being of human beings all around the world.
The reason I attended COP28 was to put forward my idea on how to tackle climate change within Australia from a health perspective: To reduce carbon emissions within Australia's hospital and healthcare sectors by reviewing and reducing low-value/high-carbon-cost care.
As a Global Voices scholar, I was allowed to bounce ideas around with people of influence such as state and federal ministers from Australia, experts, and physicians from around the world who had an interest in climate and health. I was also able to present my ideas at the Australian pavilion which was a privilege that the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) gave to Global Voices scholars.
This year's COP included finalising the inaugural Global Stocktake to see how much progress has been made towards the Paris Agreement targets, building towards a loss and damage fund to help developing countries cope with the effects of climate change, and introducing the first-ever health-focused day at the conference.
The Health Day at COP28 symbolises a historic milestone and emphasises the critical role of health considerations within the broader climate change discourse, something that had so far been on the back burner. During this landmark day, 128 global leaders came together to endorse a pivotal health and climate change declaration, stressing the severe health implications presented by climate change. This focused attention on health serves as an incentive for innovative strategies and collaborative efforts to mitigate and address the urgent challenges at the intersection of climate and public health.
Given COP28 was hosted in the United Arab Emirates, itself a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), it was very intriguing to observe and listen to presenters who may seek to reduce or negate the speed at which the transition from oil and gas occurs. This COP had the largest attendance of coal gas and oil lobbyists than any COP before it. This influence was palpable when the draft document brought forth had no mention of a transition from oil and gas. Strenuous negotiations occurred after and as a result for the first time in history, a global consensus was reached and the phrase, ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels’ was included – a momentous occasion for the battle against climate change.
The clear overarching feeling I had after attending was not optimism or pessimism but realism. Before attending COP, I believed that transition was an easy step. ‘Why are countries continuing to use fossil fuels when we have the technology to go renewables straight away?’ I asked myself. Attending COP28, I understand the magnitude of the work and the significant barriers preventing a quick transition to renewables.
Some may be disheartened, and to a degree, I was too. However, it’s vital to recognise that progress was still achieved at COP28, in particular the health and climate change declaration. The health impacts of climate change are finally being recognised and are no longer an afterthought. I hope this is a significant step toward combatting and tackling climate change.
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The views and opinions expressed by Global Voices Fellows do not necessarily reflect those of the organisation or its staff.