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Announcing new ATACH Member States: North Macedonia, Paraguay, Zimbabwe, Iraq

Announcing new ATACH Member States: North Macedonia, Paraguay, Zimbabwe, Iraq

The Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) is thrilled to announce four new Member States which have joined the Alliance. North Macedonia, Paraguay, Zimbabwe and Iraq join ATACH Member States in their firm commitment for climate health action.

Since the landmark climate and health resolution at the 77th World Health Assembly, momentum for climate-health action has been building. Climate action is urgently needed to protect population health and governments are reacting.

Zimbabwe and North Macedonia commit to building climate resilient, low carbon sustainable health systems

The Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia formally joined the ATACH in October 2024. The Republic of North Macedonia ratified the Paris Agreement in 2017 and has committed to adopting a net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 82% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.  The Republic of North Macedonia conducted a climate change health gap analysis in 2023, identifying key areas for action to build climate resilient for health. With support from GIZ, North Macedonia already developed a draft Action Plan for Decarbonization of the Health Sector, and will work to strengthen it with support from WHO and ATACH to ensure its successful implementation. As the Republic of North Macedonia continues to reform their health system, ATACH will support their ambitions to become climate resilient, sustainable and low carbon.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe formally joined the ATACH in September 2024. Climate change impacts in Zimbabwe are related to water supply and food security, among other issues. The country is already prone to droughts, which have become more recurrent as our climate becomes more unpredictable.  Zimbabwe has made its commitment to climate action clear by setting an ambitious 40% economy[S1] -wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction target by 2030.  By joining the ATACH, Zimbabwe commits to conduct a vulnerability and adaptation assessment by September 2025, and use it to inform the development of a Health National Adaptation Plan by September 2026. Zimbabwe also commits to develop its health system to be sustainable and low carbon, aiming to reach net zero health sector emissions by 2050. ATACH is proud to support Zimbabwe in their journey to align development of the health system with climate resilience and sustainability goals to ensure a healthy future.

Paraguay and Iraq commit to building climate resilient health systems

The Ministry of Public Health and Social Wellbeing of Paraguay formally joined the ATACH in October 2024. As as a developing landlocked country, Paraguay is highly vulnerable to climate change, which directly impacts its health systems. To address this, Paraguay’s “National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2022-2030” prioritizes the health and epidemiology sector. The plan aims to strengthen health response capacity for extreme weather emergencies, enhance the National Epidemiological Surveillance System to monitor climate impacts on health, promote scientific research on climate-related diseases, and build climate change adaptation capacity through awareness and education initiatives.

The Ministry of Health in Iraq formally joined the ATACH in September 2024.  Having been identified as the fifth most vulnerable country in the world to climate disruption, and the most vulnerable in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Iraq recognizes the importance of developing its health system to be resilient to the impacts of climate change. By joining the ATACH, Iraq commits to developing a climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment by 2026, and a Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) by 2027.


 [S1]https://climatepromise.undp.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/zimbabwe#:~:text=Zimbabwe%20enhanced%20its%20climate%20ambition,from%20the%2033%25%20initial%20target.

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