COP29: EU and UNDP joint initiative organises lecture in Baku on planetary health issues

On 27 June, the Kapuscinski development lectures, a joint initiative by the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organised a seminar ‘Living in a complex world: can planetary health offer a way forward?’.

The event, organised in partnership with the Azerbaijan Medical University, brought together health and education representatives, experts, academics, students, local authorities, diplomats and civil society representatives.

The lecture was delivered by Professor Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of Sunway Centre for Planetary Health at Sunway University Malaysia, was held in an interactive format, and discussed human risks, health crises and responses, especially those caused by climate change, as well as other related topics.

Dr Jemila Mahmood spoke about conflict, food insecurity and population displacement, which set the stage for infectious diseases to spread more easily and further weaken people’s immune systems. The speaker noted that humanitarian systems now have an additional burden and responsibility to ensure that crisis interventions do not harm the health of the planet or exacerbate risk and vulnerability in the long term.

The lecture organised in a hybrid format is part of the preparations for COP29 Azerbaijan to be held later this year in Baku. 

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Kapuscinski development lectures