Last November, the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), commonly referred to as COP29, took place in Baku, Azerbaijan. The COP serves as the primary opportunity for the 198 Parties (197 States and the EU) to advance the goal of the UNFCCC and the subsequent decisions agreed upon at the COPs, including the Paris Agreement, aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change.

At COP29, the main issue under negotiation was the establishment of a new finance goal, formally known as the “New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance” (NCQG). Following the first-ever Health Day at COP28 in Dubai, a thematic day focused on human development, which encompassed health, took place in Baku. This day featured a high-level roundtable on climate and health, along with the formation of the “COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health” to ensure that health remains at the heart of the climate negotiations.

Government delegations take center stage at the COPs as they engage in intense negotiations over the course of the two-week conference, hoping to reach an agreement. However, observers—such as youth and academia—are also essential. We advocate for greater ambition in the negotiations based on scientific evidence and lived experiences to hold governments accountable for their responsibility and commitments in the fight against the climate crisis. With this motivation in mind, this was my second time attending COP as a youth leader supporting the Health Working Group of YOUNGO—the official youth constituency for the UNFCCC.

I had the honor of representing YOUNGO at the World Health Organization’s Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) convening. This full day of keynote presentations and panel discussions brought together health ministries, the healthcare sector, funders, academia, and youth to discuss five key areas: climate-resilient health systems, low-carbon sustainable health systems, financing, maximizing health co-benefits, and embedding gender and equity into climate and health action.

In the first panel discussion, when asked about the critical aspects of building climate-resilient health systems, I emphasized the importance of investing in strong health systems that can prevent, prepare for, and respond to climate-related hazards. As children and youth, we are the generation most impacted by climate change. It is vital to enhance the resilience of our health systems to withstand the unprecedented health challenges we will encounter in our lifetimes. Specifically, I pointed out the necessity for early warning systems to anticipate climate-sensitive infectious diseases such as malaria, ensuring a reliable supply of medicines during extreme heat, and improving the infrastructure of hospitals and pharmacies in flood-prone areas. I also underscored the importance of integrating climate and health into the education and training of all young health professionals.

Moving beyond COP29 and recognizing that the pledged NCQG is insufficient to meet the needs of developing countries, the youth will continue advocating for greater mobilization of climate finance for a healthier, greener, and more just future for all. Furthermore, we cannot keep putting band-aids on our bleeding health systems. We need the complete treatment to address the root cause of climate change: a just, equitable, and rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.