Environment, Climate Change and Health

We pursue a healthier environment by strengthening health sector leadership, building mechanisms for political and social support and monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals regarding environmental threats to health.

About us

Technical areas of work

Air Quality, Energy and Health

Chemical Safety and Health

Children’s environmental health

Climate Change and Health

Healthy urban environments

Occupational health

Radiation and health

Water Sanitation and Health (WASH)

Settings & populations

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Flagship Initiative against extreme heat and related environmental health risks in workplaces and major events

News

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18 October 2024

Departmental update

Global call to action on lead poisoning prevention

Departmental update

WHO announces the 2024 updated Compendium of interventions on environmental health

Departmental update

Nations unite to eliminate mercury-containing medical devices

20 October 2023

Departmental update

Our children’s future: a call to end childhood lead poisoning

Speech

Features

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Events

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International lead poisoning prevention week

20 – 26 October 2024

International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2024 - Bright futures begin lead free

18 September 2024 15:00 – 16:00 CET

WHO Chemical Risk Assessment Network Webinar: Principles for addressing values in problem formulation

13 June 2024 15:00 – 16:00 CET

WHO Chemical Risk Assessment Webinar: An Introduction to New Educational Courses for Chemicals Management and Environmental Health

Commentaries

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Our strategy

Calls for

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Expression of interest

Call for expressions of interest: Developing legislation for skin-lightening products containing mercury

Publications

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Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance in health and environment, 2024 update

This is the 2024 update of the Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environment. The Compendium is a comprehensive collection of available...

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Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environment: version with International Classification of Health Intervention (‎ICHI)‎ codes

In this version of the compendium, each guidance is coded using the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI).The compendium provides...

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Electrical/electronic waste and children's health: training for health care providers, 2nd ed

Internationally harmonized modules on key issues for paediatricians and paediatric nurses, family and public health professionals.

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Ad hoc FAO-WHO Expert Meeting on water contaminants summary report publication cover

The Ad hoc FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on water quality in agrifood systems and food safety implications – focus on chemical contaminants was organized...

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Videos

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Infographics highlight

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Tools

AIDE-MÉMOIRES: Briefs by environment, climate change and health topic for country action

Essential information to support action

Air pollution and health training toolkit for health workers (APHT)

A set of materials designed to enable health workers, in both the clinical and public health fields, to understand the health risks of air pollution and identify risk reduction measures.

Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environment

Global repository of interventions for creating healthier environments and improving health. It provides an overview and easy access of 500 actions, and a framework for thinking about health and environment interventions.

Graphic banner of the Health and Environment scorecards

Health and environment country scorecards

The Health and environment scorecards aim to provide a quick snapshot of where countries stand on managing six major environmental threats to health: air pollution, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), climate change, exposure to chemicals, radiation, and occupational health.

HEAT tool for walking and cycling

Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling: HEAT for walking and cycling is a user-friendly, web-based tool used to estimate the health and economic impacts of increased walking and cycling.

Doctors attend to patients in the COVID-19 ICU of the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. They are among the first Filipinos to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country

Occupational hazards in the health sector

This e-tool is intended for use by people in charge of occupational health and safety for health workers at the national, subnational and facility levels and for health workers who want to know what WHO and ILO recommend for the protection of their health and safety

SunSmart Global UV App

Free application for mobile devices that describes the level of solar UV radiation at a specific location. It also provides time slots when to apply sun protection measures, in an effort to reduce the global burden of skin cancer and UV-related eye damage.

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WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury

The WHO/ILO Joint Estimates quantify the number of deaths and amount of health loss (disability-adjusted life years or DALYs) caused by occupational risk factors.

Children under solar panels

WHO Manifesto for a healthy recovery from COVID-19

WHO prescriptions for a healthy, green recovery from COVID-19 that will help steer governments towards a healthier, fairer, and greener world.

Our work

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Campaigns and initiaves

thermometer on orange sky background

Flagship Initiative against extreme heat and related environmental health risks in workplaces and major events

BreatheLife: A global campaign for clean air

International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2024

WHO – WMO Joint Climate and Health Programme

Q&As

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Fact sheets

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Facts in pictures

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Health topics

Chemical safety

Children's environmental health

Environmental health

Health impact assessment

Occupational health

Radiation emergencies

Ultraviolet radiation

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)