"Climate Action At COP26 Could Save Millions Of Lives, WHO Says"

"GENEVA - The World Health Organization and about three-quarters of global health care workers on Monday called on governments to step up climate action at the COP26 global climate conference, saying it could save millions of lives a year.

The UN health agency's report on climate change and health calls for transformational action in every sector including energy, transport and finance, saying the public health benefits of ambitious climate actions far outweigh the costs.

"The burning of fossil fuels is killing us. Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity," the WHO said on Monday.

The WHO has previously said some 13.7 million deaths a year, or around 24.3% of the global total, were due to environmental risks such as air pollution and chemical exposure."

Emma Farge reports for Reuters October 11, 2021.

Source: Reuters, 10/12/2021