Launch and first hearing of the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health

Climate change is affecting communities across the WHO European Region, with rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation threatening health and well-being.

To accelerate health and climate action, WHO/Europe is launching the first Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health in Reykjavík, Iceland, on 11 June 2025. Chaired by Katrín Jakobsdóttir, former Prime Minister of Iceland, the Commission aims to raise political awareness and advocate for stronger action across multiple sectors and levels of government to address the health impacts of climate change.

The event will bring together the Commissioners to:

launch the Commission and introduce its goals and priorities
initiate the work of the Commission with the first hearing of leading experts.

An inclusive process to define a “Call to action” on climate and health

Immediately starting work by holding the first of 3 hearings on 11 June, the Commission will review relevant evidence by consulting leading experts towards developing final recommendations. The second and third hearings will take place in September and October 2025, respectively.

The Commission’s final recommendations for accelerated health and climate action will be presented during the World Health Assembly in May 2026.

Follow live

Follow the work of the Commission and listen in to the inaugural press conference at 10:00 CEST.

The press conference will be joined by:

Ms Katrín Jakobsdóttir, former Prime Minister of Iceland and Chair of the Commission;
Sir Andrew Haines, Professor of Environmental Change and Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Scientific Advisor of the Commission; and
Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

The link to the livestream will be added to this page.

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