WHO and Its Chinese and European Partners Jointly Launch Multilateral Climate-Health Initiative: Collaborative Research on Climate-Resilient Solutions for a Sustainable Healthy Future
GENEVA, July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with cities and research institutions from China and Europe, convened the "Roundtable on 1.5°C Proactive Health" in Geneva, Switzerland. The event was jointly hosted by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Universal Health Coverage (Peking University China Center for Health Development Studies) and the Ningyuan Institute of Climate and Sustainable Development.
Participants included representatives from the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County of Hainan Province, China, Vichy City, France, Peking University School of Public Health, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, as well as proactive health experts from European institutions across thermalism, food, and standardization. Together, they explored integrated climate-health responses for a sustainable future.
A key milestone was the official launch of the Geneva 1.5°C Proactive Health Initiative, marking the world's first transnational academic-industry-government platform focused on climate-health governance in urban contexts.
The roundtable focused on three core themes: the new paradigm of 1.5°C Proactive Health, innovative practices "From Lab to Community," and urban actions for health implementation.
- Defining a New Paradigm: 1.5°C Proactive Health
The symposium introduced a holistic framework for "1.5°C Proactive Health," underscoring the significant health benefits of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. WHO experts highlighted how climate risks — such as extreme heat, natural disasters, and biodiversity loss — are intensifying respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular conditions, infectious diseases, and malnutrition. Air pollution alone causes 7 million premature deaths annually, exceeding the combined toll of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, with 99% of the global population exposed to levels above WHO safety standards.
- From Lab to Community: Transformative Innovations
Chinese and European institutions showcased evidence-based case studies spanning air quality improvement, city health assessment, thermal therapy innovation, proactive medical interventions, green spaces, green hospital initiatives, healthy food solutions, and sustainable product labeling.
- Urban Actions: Bridging the Last Mile
Dedicated sessions featured city-level actions from Baoting and Vichy City, illustrating natural therapy and climate-adaptive health planning.
Major Outcomes
- Geneva 1.5°C Proactive Health Initiative Released
The Initiative advances three core pillars:
- Shared Vision and Rationale: Recognizing the relevance of 1.5°C Proactive Health as a transformative approach to tackling climate-induced health risks and shifting healthcare models.
- Research and Practice Advancement: A firm commitment was made to advancing evidence-based research and implementation of the 1.5°C Proactive Health approach. Centered on climate-resilient health systems, this entails integrating proactive interventions such as knowledge empowerment, natural therapies, digital health solutions, nutritional innovation, and healthy living environments. These efforts will be supported by enabling policy instruments, including green financing, to ensure the sustainability of proactive health systems.
- Global Alliance for Collaboration: The "1.5°C Proactive Health International Alliance" will be launched to create a collaborative innovation network spanning proactive health research, urban development, and industrial synergy. Specialized task forces will be established to consolidate expertise, experience, policy tools, and partnership opportunities, driving cross-disciplinary international cooperation and pilot initiatives.
- Shared Vision and Rationale: Recognizing the relevance of 1.5°C Proactive Health as a transformative approach to tackling climate-induced health risks and shifting healthcare models.
- Launch of China-Europe Proactive Health Cities Collaboration
Baoting and Vichy have signed a Letter of Intent to deepen collaboration in the following areas:
- Integration of balneotherapy with Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Exchange and training of healthcare professionals
- Scientific research and innovation in proactive health
- Cultural, educational, and economic interactions between communities
Expert Insights
Dr. Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at WHO, attended the seminar and delivered remarks. She spoke highly of the proactive health initiative for its innovation, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and global leadership.
Dr. Ren Minghui, Director of the WHO Collaborating Center on UHC and Director of the Peking University Institute for Global Health, elaborated upon the concept of "1.5°C Proactive Health" to seminar participants. He defined this innovative approach as a fundamental shift from passive, disease-centered healthcare to a comprehensive model that: 1) is people-centered (life-cycle health care management), 2) integrates multi-sectoral coordination, i.e., health, sports, pension, education, environment, food, and 3) delivers a whole health service chain covering promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, care, and wellness.
Dr. Heather Adair-Rohani, Technical Officer and Acting Head of WHO Air Quality, Energy & Health Unit, presented the WHO's strategic approach to tackling health risks of air pollution. This includes promoting multi-sector engagement, updating the WHO Air Quality Guidelines, and launching global action initiatives. She also demonstrated WHO's institutional capacity-building & technical support, including health risk assessment tools, integrated energy and health solutions, and educational training resources.
Dr. Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, Head of the WHO Climate Change Unit, presented the current global landscape of climate and health risks, while highlighting the health co-benefits of climate action. He put forward strategic recommendations including: focusing on positive visions; forming the simplest alliances necessary to achieve specific goals; assembling evidence and making investment cases, rather than relying only on development assistance; looking beyond "vertical" support mechanisms for climate and for health; and demonstrating leadership and seeking partnerships—including with WHO.
Dr. Wei Huang, Member of WHO Scientific Advisory Group on Global Air Pollution and Health, Professor at Peking University School of Public Health, Director of Peking University Institute of Environmental Medicine, presented global environmental health policies and Chinese research cases. She proposed implementing "exposome-based life-course interventions that encompass both ecosystems and lifestyle factors—including green spaces, natural therapies, nutrition, and diet—to enable proactive health management from population to individual." Dr. Huang also emphasized the need to "develop intervention policies by integrating scientific evidence with effective risk communication strategies."
Dr. Fengming Luo, President of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, shared the hospital's five-pillar climate-health strategy: global R&D partnerships, urgent care and epidemic control systems, advanced health model optimization, risk awareness and public education, and green hospital initiative. He called for global joint efforts through a collaboration plan, AI-powered early warning platform, an international climate-health fund, transnational health policy coordination, global research network, and proactive health action guide.
City Climate-Health Innovations in Action
Mr. Mukui Rui, Party Secretary of the Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County in Hainan Province, China, stated: "Leveraging its exceptional ecological environment, Baoting is exploring pathways to become a proactive health city through initiatives of the China-EU (Baoting) Green and Digital Innovation Zone, the construction of proactive health technology infrastructure, and the launch of the Green and Digital Innovation Cooperation Project (GDIP). The county aims to share its climate and ecological resources globally, benefiting all of humanity."
Mr. Yves-Jean Bignon, Deputy Mayor of Vichy, France, shared the city's experience in integrating urban planning with proactive health management. Centered around its thermal spring resources, Vichy adopts a "therapy + exercise + social engagement" model and has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The Baoting delegation visited Vichy to exchange knowledge on industry-academia-research collaboration in proactive health clusters, including: thermal therapy medical centers, natural skincare R&D bases, thermal spring-derived food companies, and fully traceable functional mineral water production facilities with proven health benefits.
Cross-sector Collaboration
Ms. Elena Villalobos Prats, Secretariat Head of the WHO Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health, shared WHO's expertise in organizing and operating international alliances.
Ms. Anne Gonneau, Member of the Professional Committee of the European Spas Association, presented Europe's key experiences in developing proactive health industries by leveraging natural resources.
Mr. Jiuchi Lao, Chief Representative in China of the Danish Agriculture and Food Council, elaborated on Denmark's core philosophy and practices regarding 1.5°C-aligned proactive health from a food and nutrition perspective.
Mr. Binsheng Wei, General Manager of Audit and Business Assurance of DEKRA China, discussed the role of standards and regulations in promoting climate-resilient health initiatives, industrial integration, and low-carbon urban transitions, along with practical implementation experiences.
Dr. Fengming Luo, President of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, highlighted the critical role of environmental interventions in the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases. He emphasized the need to update clinical training models based on the principles of proactive health and to actively explore green hospital practices.
Mr. Mukui Rui, Party Secretary of the Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County in Hainan, China, shared how local governments can accelerate international health coverage by creating supportive policy environments and optimizing ecological resources during climate-health initiatives, while facilitating the transformation of research into practice.
Mr. Yves-Jean Bignon, Deputy Mayor of Vichy, France, presented the "Vichy Model"—developing a localized health-economic ecosystem around thermal spring resources, integrating research with practice to advance sustainable governance.
Joining Hands for Progress
During the conference, the delegation visited WHO Headquarters in Geneva at WHO's invitation. The delegation, consisting of officials from Baoting County (Hainan), Ningyuan Institute of Climate and Sustainable Development, and Peking University School of Public Health, engaged in in-depth exchange with WHO officials.
WHO representatives proposed advancing health training programs, urban health toolkits, health impact databases, and related assessment tools in Baoting. Mr. Mukui Rui affirmed that these initiatives align with Baoting's needs, expressing the county's readiness to serve as a city lab for pilot projects and to collaborate with WHO in advancing these efforts.
WHO recognized the 1.5°C Proactive Health vision, commended Baoting's integrated climate-health solutions, and stressed the importance of cross-regional collaboration. As Asia—particularly China, the world's largest and fastest-growing economy—will shape the climate future, its policy direction proves critical while Europe maintains stable emissions. China's universities, local governments, and nationally supported initiatives possess strong capabilities. WHO expressed its hope to align the Baoting pilot project with its ongoing initiatives led by its Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, leveraging China's experience to inform global action and jointly advance the 1.5°C Proactive Health Initiative. WHO emphasized that China should play a demonstrative role internationally—supporting other countries through technology transfer and standard-setting.
Next Steps
- Initiate the China-EU Proactive Health Research Initiative in 2025
- Establish the "1.5°C Proactive Health Alliance" in 2025
- Designate Baoting, Hainan, China as the 1.5°C Proactive Health Pilot Zone, partnering with European counterparts to advance collaborative projects in natural therapies, digital health solutions, nutrition, and healthy community-building—an international network for proactive health industry.
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