Urgent action required to prevent impact of climate change on health: WHO expert

COPENHAGEN -- The "triple threat" of climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity to health must urgently be addressed, said World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Kluge on Wednesday.

At the 7th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in Budapest, Hungary, Kluge emphasized that an estimated 1.4 million deaths annually in the European region are attributable to environmental risk factors, and nearly half of these are caused by air pollution.

Last summer was "the hottest ever recorded in Europe," and more than 20,000 people died as a result of extreme heat, Kluge said.

"We are moving far too slowly, seriously jeopardizing our ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030," he stressed, adding that 77 million people in the region still lack access to safe drinking water.

"Action needs to be taken by governments. Action needs to be taken by partners. Action needs to be taken by all of us as individuals," said Kluge.