Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), addressed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with a stark warning about the escalating health crisis posed by climate change. Recalling a visit to Tuvalu in 2019, Dr. Tedros shared the story of a young boy named Falou who expressed fears about the potential sinking of his homeland due to rising sea levels. Falou’s words, reflecting the grim reality faced by children in the Pacific, revealed how deeply climate change is affecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations.

“Children should be children,” Dr. Tedros lamented, noting that instead of playing and laughing, many are consumed by existential fears about their future. This poignant anecdote set the tone for his broader argument that climate change is not just an environmental or economic issue but fundamentally a health crisis that demands urgent global attention.

Dr. Tedros highlighted that the impacts of climate change are already being felt across the globe. The increased transmission of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and cholera is linked to changing weather patterns, while non-communicable diseases like cancer and cardiovascular conditions are exacerbated by worsening air pollution. Extreme weather events, including record-breaking heatwaves, hurricanes, and floods, are not only claiming lives but also destroying vital health infrastructure, placing enormous strain on health systems worldwide.

The Director-General emphasized that water scarcity is becoming an alarming reality for nearly a billion children, with climate change further intensifying droughts, contaminating water supplies, and increasing salinity in coastal areas. Food insecurity and malnutrition are also on the rise as agricultural yields and fisheries are disrupted, threatening the livelihoods of millions. He painted a grim picture of displacement and poverty, with 154 million people living less than one meter above sea level and millions more expected to fall into extreme poverty by 2030.

However, Dr. Tedros was clear that the burden of climate change does not fall equally. Small Island Developing States, which contribute less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, are disproportionately affected by rising sea levels and natural disasters. Marginalized groups, including women, children, and low-income communities, bear the heaviest burdens, underscoring the inequity at the heart of the crisis.

While the challenges are immense, Dr. Tedros stressed that the situation is not hopeless. WHO has been at the forefront of tackling climate change as a health issue for over 25 years, collaborating with member states and international agencies to develop response measures. He pointed to the organization’s advocacy for health-centric policies in climate agreements, including the Paris Agreement, and the urgent need for a rapid and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels.

Dr. Tedros also underscored the economic and health benefits of mitigation efforts. Reducing air pollution, for instance, could save millions of lives annually while delivering substantial economic returns. He called for robust financial investments in mitigation and adaptation measures, emphasizing that every dollar spent on climate and health actions generates a fourfold return.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Tedros reminded the court of WHO’s founding principles—that shared global threats require shared solutions. He called for immediate and sustained action to limit greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen health systems, and protect vulnerable populations. “Addressing the climate crisis is about urgently protecting people, place, and planet—for a healthier world now, and for the future we leave our children,” he concluded.

The session ended with WHO Legal Counsel Derek Walton presenting the organization’s scientific and technical evidence to support the court’s deliberations on the health dimensions of climate change. Dr. Tedros’ impassioned address served as a powerful call to action, highlighting the devastating health impacts of climate change while offering hope through collective global efforts.