COP30: Everything you need to know if you work in the health sector

 COP30: What it is and why the health sector should care

COP30 was the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference: a global decision‑making forum where nearly every country convenes to negotiate collective action on the climate crisis. This year it was held in Belém, Brazil, and marked a pivotal shift in global climate diplomacy.  

 For the first time, health moved from the margins of climate discussion to the centre, with the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan. This plan recognises that climate change is fundamentally a health crisis and calls for: 

• Climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems 

• Mobilisation of climate finance for health protection 

• Prioritisation of vulnerable communities 

• Stronger links between public health, climate science and policy 

For the NHS, this global alignment reinforces national commitments and creates new opportunities for collaboration, innovation and investment in climate-smart care. 

 COP30: The outcomes

Besides the Belém Health Action Plan, COP30 produced several significant developments: 

• Tripling of adaptation finance by 2035, supporting countries/sectors exposed to climate risk. 

• Introduction of a Just Transition Mechanism, enabling fair and inclusive moves toward low-carbon systems, including health and social care. 

• Creation of a major new financial mechanism, sometimes referred to as the Forever Tropical Forests Fund, to reward and support tropical forest conservation. 

However, negotiations fell short of securing a binding global agreement on phasing out fossil fuels, a key expectation for many parties. Despite this, the elevation of health as a central pillar of climate action represents a historic reframing and strengthens the mandate for health systems worldwide to decarbonise. 

What this means for NHS staff, innovators and policymakers

For NHS leaders and employees

The NHS now has a clear global mandate to embed climate resilience into the core of care delivery. To achieve this, it must assess climate-related vulnerabilities across its estates, services and supply chains, and put in place effective adaptation measures. Environmental sustainability should be integrated into everyday clinical practice, with professionals positioned as trusted messengers who can guide patients in understanding the health benefits of climate action. 

For innovators

COP30 accelerates demand for solutions that help health systems adapt, decarbonise and operate resiliently. Opportunities lie in areas such as low‑carbon buildings, sustainable energy systems, heat‑adaptation technologies, diagnostic devices, digital tools and climate‑resilient supply chains. With increased climate‑health financing and the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan, new pathways are opening for public–private partnerships and innovation. 

For policymakers and public health stakeholders

Climate and health integration must now be embedded at every level of health planning. This means ensuring that adaptation and mitigation are incorporated into commissioning and service design, prioritising air quality, strengthening prevention and community resilience and tackling health inequalities. 

The result of COP30

COP30 reframed climate change as a public health emergency. For the NHS, it reinforces the urgency of building climate-resilient, net zero services that protect patients now and in the future. For innovators, it signals an expanding market for solutions that make healthcare sustainable and resilient. The message is clear: the next era of health improvement will depend on climate action, with the NHS having both a responsibility and opportunity to lead that transition.