The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences joins with global Academies of health and medicine to launch Global Coalition to Advance Climate–Health Action

The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) has joined with national Academies of health and medicine from around the world today to announce the Global Coalition of Academies of Medicine on Climate and Health (the Coalition).

This new collaboration will work to strengthen the scientific foundation for responses to climate-related health risks. The Coalition supports the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP) – Brazil’s framework released at COP30 to integrate health across climate adaptation and mitigation – and will work together to provide independent expertise, foster knowledge exchange, facilitate implementation tools and take collective action.

Climate change is shaping health risks through more frequent extreme heat and weather events, degraded air quality, shifting infectious disease patterns, and growing pressures on food, water and mental health.

AAHMS President, Professor Louise Baur AM PresAHMS, spoke at a virtual global gathering of Academies overnight on Tuesday 11 November, emphasising the need for evidence-based policy and international collaboration to safeguard human health in a changing climate. Professor Baur said about the launch of the Coalition, “Australia is already experiencing the health impacts of climate change, including extreme heat and bushfire smoke. By joining this global Coalition, AAHMS is ensuring that Australia’s voice is part of a worldwide effort to turn scientific evidence into practical solutions. This collaboration will help protect communities now and support the transition to resilient, low‑carbon health systems that safeguard future generations.”

President of the US National Academy of Medicine, Dr Victor J. Dzau, a co-founder of the Coalition, said, “Health must be at the center of all climate action. This Coalition brings the scientific authority and independence of national Academies to help countries translate evidence into actions and policies that protect people’s health today while building resilient, low‑carbon health systems for tomorrow.”

At COP30 in Belém, Coalition members jointly issued a statement of support for BHAP’s priorities that was read at a plenary session on Health Day. Professor Eliete Bouskela, president of the Academia Nacional de Medicina (Brazil) and co-founder, underscored the opportunity for practical, equitable solutions, saying, “With the Belém Health Action Plan, our Academies will work together to implement this framework, support decision‑makers, and scale innovations that improve health and advance climate justice.”

Areas of collaboration aligned with BHAP

The Coalition’s initial activities align with BHAP’s three priority action lines, as follows:

• Surveillance and Monitoring: Support methods and data sharing to strengthen early‑warning systems and climate–health risk assessment

• Evidence and Capacity: Facilitate synthesis of the best available science for decision‑makers; contribute to workforce development and curricula on climate–health
• Innovation and Sustainable Production: Share approaches to modernize infrastructure, supply chains, and digital systems that can reduce emissions while improving resilience

The Coalition’s statement reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the scientific basis for climate–health action and to collaborating with governments, health systems and communities on practical, context‑specific solutions.

Full statement (Declaration of the Global Coalition of Academies of Medicine in Climate and Health):

“As National Academies of Medicine and medical divisions of Academies of Sciences from across the world, we affirm our shared commitment to advancing health in the face of the climate crisis. We recognize the Belém Health Action Plan as a critical global framework for implementation that also underscores the inseparable link between climate change and human health. Together we voice our support for collective action that safeguards the health and well-being of all people now and for generations to come.”

Statement signatories and initial Coalition Members

• Academia Boliviana de Medicina
• Academia de Ciencias Medicas, Fisicas y Naturales de Guatemala
• Academia Dominicana de Medicina
• Academia Ecuatoriana de Medicina
• Academia Nacional de Medicina de Colombia
• Academia Nacional de Medicina de Costa Rica
• Academia Nacional de Medicina de México
• Academia Nacional de Medicina del Perú
• Academia Nacional de Medicina del Uruguay
• Academy of Medical Sciences (UK)
• Academy of Science of South Africa
• Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
• Brazilian Academia Nacional de Medicina
• Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
• Chilean Academy of Medicine
• Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (TBC)
• Croatian Academy of Medical Sciences
• French Academy of Medicine (TBC)
• German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI)
• InterAcademy Partnership (IAP)
• National Academy of Medical Sciences (India)
• National Academy of Medicine (USA)
• National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST)
• Nigerian Academy of Science
• Portuguese National Academy of Medicine
• Real Academia Nacional de Medicina de España
• Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Singapore Academy of Medicine (TBC)
• Te Apārangi The Royal Society of New Zealand

About the Global Coalition of Academies of Medicine on Climate and Health (the Coalition)

The Coalition is a collaboration of National Academies of medicine and medical divisions within Academies of sciences dedicated to strengthening the evidence base, sharing best practices, and supporting practical tools for climate–health implementation and resilience. The Coalition supports the priorities of the Belém Health Action Plan through independent, nonpartisan, science‑based collaboration.

Read more about AAHMS’ work on climate change and health here.