Thousands of participants from government, academia, business, and civil society have begun gathering in Dubai at the 28th gathering of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties — known as COP28 — for two weeks of discussions on how to advance global progress on cutting greenhouse gas emissions and other steps to address the climate crisis. Among those participating are members, volunteers, and staff of the National Academies, who will be sharing highlights from the institution’s extensive body of work on how to fight climate change, transform the economy, and build a more resilient, sustainable society.  

“We are in a crucial window for taking steps to protect the planet and its people, and it’s critical that the global science, engineering, and medicine community come together to help advance bold, evidence-based approaches,” said Amanda Staudt, who will be attending the conference as director of the National Academies’ recently launched Climate Crossroads Initiative. “COP28 provides an important venue for bringing critical analyses, such as our recent report on decarbonizing the U.S. energy system, to the global stage.” 

National Academy of Medicine President Victor Dzau will be participating in several sessions at COP28 focused on climate change and its increasingly alarming impacts on human health — such as heat-related illnesses, the spread of infectious disease, physical harms from extreme weather, health complications related to poor air quality, and many other health impacts.  

“Climate change represents one of the most significant threats to human health in the 21st century,” said Dzau. “As the impacts of climate change degrade the health of our physical environments, the human health effects are felt by all of us. We must mobilize global and national efforts to ensure that we are assessing the health risks posed by climate change and developing strategies to protect public health, especially for those who are most vulnerable.”  

Fellow panelists at these sessions include Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, Nísia Trindade Lima, Brazil’s minister of health, and Pascal Soriot, CEO of Astra Zeneca. In particular, Dzau will be discussing the NAM’s initiatives in these efforts, which include its Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity and the Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector. 

At the Ocean Pavilion, which brings together world leaders in ocean science, engineering, and policy to collaborate on long-term solutions for climate change, the National Academies are hosting sessions that highlight work on the feasibility of strategies for carbon dioxide removal that involve coastal and oceanic resources and the importance of sustained ocean observations for tackling climate change. Kelly Oskvig, a senior program officer in the Division of Earth and Life Studies, will be participating in those sessions. 

Scientific analysis is essential to the policy negotiations that take place at the COP meetings. Hussam Mahmoud, co-chair of the National Academies’ New Voices in Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine program, along with representatives from the InterAcademy Partnership, the Global Young Academy, and the Institute for European Environmental Policy, will discuss how the global network of science academies can work together to provide independent, expert advice on scientific, technological, and health issues related to climate change.  

Panels that include representatives from the National Academies: 

• Governance for Health Equity and Climate Change — Dec. 1, 3 p.m.-4:15 p.m. GST, Brazil Pavilion 

• Building Net Zero Health Systems — Dec. 2, 10:15 a.m.-11:15 a.m. GST, Connect Conference Center 

• Addressing the Climate-Health-Equity Nexus to Improve Lung Health — Dec. 2, 1 p.m.-2 p.m. GST, Reuters Studio, Green Zone  

• The Role of Academies in Climate Policy Advice — Dec. 9, 3 p.m.-4:30pm GST, SE Room 6 

• Ocean Climate Intervention Strategies — Dec. 10, 5 p.m.-6 p.m. GST, Ocean Pavilion 

• A Heated Case for Sustained Ocean Observations — Dec. 11, 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. GST, Ocean Pavilion 

Explore the full COP28 schedule and climate resources at the National Academies.