Guardian: “Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO”

Essay by Eric Worrall

“… Far from being a fading priority or fake news, climate change poses an immediate and long-term threat …”

Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO

Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent
Sat 16 May 2026 14.00 AEST

The climate crisis should be declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization, or millions more people will die unnecessarily, leading international experts have said.

The independent pan-European commission on climate and health, which was convened by the WHO, concluded the climate crisis was such a worldwide threat to health that the WHO should declare it “a public health emergency of international concern” (Pheic).

The international spread of vector-borne disease, such as dengue and chikungunya, as well as the health impacts of extreme weather events, global heating, food insecurity and air pollution make a Pheic necessary, said the commission’s report, which will be presented to European ministers on Sunday before the WHO’s world health assembly starts on Monday.

The 11-strong independent commission, which includes former health and climate ministers, said: “Far from being a fading priority or fake news, climate change poses an immediate and long-term threat to health, economic, food, water, environmental, personal, community and national security.”

The report also called for measures to tackle disinformation, greater use of national climate health impact assessments, as well as recognition that climate change was also a mental health crisis.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/16/who-should-declare-climate-crisis-global-public-health-emergency-experts-say

In my opinion when they have to lead your argument by assuring readers they aren’t fake news, in a news outlet like The Guardian, they’ve already lost.

The WHO also has its own credibility problems. WHO was widely perceived as stooging for China during the early days of the Covid pandemic.

I don’t think declaring a fake climate emergency, “far from being … fake news”, would do anything to restore the WHO’s lost credibility.

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45 Comments
Quilter52
May 17, 2026 8:18 pm

The only health threat the current “global climate crisis” presents is to the wallets of the proponents.

May 17, 2026 10:09 pm

“This is the way to rule the people. Did you see how that chicken followed me for food, even though I had caused it such torture? People are like that chicken. If you inflict inordinate pain on them they will follow you for food the rest of their lives.”
Joseph Stalin

May 18, 2026 12:11 am

Who?

Does the WHO matter? Has it done anything consequential to improve life for anyone? Does anyone take orders from it?

Leftist nut jobs appeal to an inconsequential leftist organization to amplify an agenda that they both agree on in their leftist echo chamber. Yawn.

What’s really funny is that the WHO kisses up to China, the largest and fastest growing emitter of awful essential, life-giving CO2, which leftists shy away from like vampires from sunlight. CO2 for Western countries: bad. CO2 for China: meh. Which is exactly how the CCP likes it. They can’t believe the luck of having so many useful leftist idiots in the West.

ozspeaksup
May 18, 2026 5:37 am

in aus thats a middle finger salute and Pheic OFF you wankers

May 18, 2026 1:37 pm