WHO released a new report ahead of COP31 that links six public health measures to big climate and economic gains. The measures are heat-health warning systems, climate-resilient drinking water, sanitation and handwashing facilities, cleaner household cooking and heating fuels, and fossil fuel pricing reforms. WHO estimates these could save 1.6 million lives a year, avoid 16.7 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions, and generate $3.9 trillion in annual economic benefits. Fossil fuel pricing reforms account for the largest share of the projected gains, with 1.2 million deaths avoided, $3 trillion in welfare benefits, and $5.4 trillion in government revenue. Heat-health warning systems show the highest return per dollar, at an estimated $835. WHO says every dollar invested in five of the measures could return $24 in benefits. Most of these interventions are already available. The question for COP31 is whether governments will fund them at scale and treat health and climate as the same policy problem.
