A first at the COP31 summit: Health moved to the main negotiating agenda

As a result of efforts carried out by Turkey, the issue of health has entered the main negotiating agenda for the first time, moving beyond side events at COP summits. Within the scope of COP31, November 9 has been designated as 'Health Day', and the Antalya Resilient Health Systems Initiative (AIR), which aims to increase the resilience of health systems against climate change, will be brought to life under Turkey's leadership.

At the COP31 summit, under the theme 'Dynamic and Resilient Health Systems', it is aimed to increase the adaptive capacity of health infrastructures against climate shocks. In this context, the establishment of multi-hazard early warning systems for climate change-sensitive diseases and the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence-supported digital health solutions will be discussed. In addition, the importance of the 'One Health' approach, which addresses human, animal, and environmental health in an integrated manner, will be emphasized.

Food security also stands out as a critical heading at the summit. While it is stated that approximately 318 million people experience acute food insecurity due to climate shocks, the financing need for the transformation of food systems, which are responsible for one-third of global emissions, will be debated. According to World Health Organization data, unsafe foods lead to 1.5 million deaths and 310 billion dollars in economic losses every year.

At the panel organized by Bezmâlem Vakıf University, it was stated that the climate crisis is not limited to waste management alone and that sustainability strategies must be handled at the institutional level. The information that the university established a Sustainability Office in line with the YÖK 2030 vision was shared.