The United Nations has warned that extreme heat, floods and droughts are putting millions of lives at risk. The warning came as the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) opened in Antalya, Türkiye, on 9 November 2026.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said extreme weather was putting more pressure on already stretched health systems. Speaking at the Health Day Ministerial Roundtable, he called for urgent international cooperation to keep hospitals and clinics running during climate emergencies.
“A health system can falter by degrees,” Stiell said. He described how a power cut can spoil medicines and how flooding can contaminate a well or cut off a road to a clinic. Such disruptions can delay urgent treatment, especially in communities where access to healthcare is already limited. “It can be the difference between life and death,” he said.
Stiell urged governments to make health a priority in their national climate adaptation plans. He said health facilities need reliable electricity, safe water and trained staff. He also called for better disease surveillance and early warning systems so health workers can spot outbreaks before they spread.
He urged countries to increase funding for climate adaptation and speed up the transition away from fossil fuels. Reliable clean power can keep clinics open during extreme weather, he said, while cleaner air can reduce pressure on health services.
The warning came as COP31 opened with calls to put existing climate commitments into practice. In his opening address, Stiell said the conference should turn global targets and national plans into steps that deliver measurable benefits for communities. “COP31 must supercharge solutions,” he said, calling for faster progress on adaptation finance, renewable energy, electrification and cuts in methane emissions.
COP31 President Murat Kurum said dialogue, consensus and action would guide Türkiye’s presidency. He said decisions in Antalya should make a difference to farmers, businesses and communities facing climate risks. “A decision proves its worth when it makes a difference to someone’s life,” Kurum said.
Kurum also highlighted the gap between countries that can access climate finance and technology and those that struggle to secure either. Türkiye holds the COP31 presidency, while Australia leads the negotiations. The two countries have pledged to work together to bring the concerns of vulnerable countries, including Pacific island nations, into the talks.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said 2026 is on course to rank among the four warmest years on record. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said global temperatures averaged about 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels between January and September. A strengthening El Niño could push temperatures higher in 2027.
Saulo said preliminary data point to a tenth consecutive year of record ocean heat. Global sea levels also reached a record high, increasing risks for about 900 million people living along low-lying coasts.
Alan Dangour, Wellcome’s director of climate and health, cited research estimating that fossil-fuel-related air pollution and extreme heat together cause more than three million deaths a year. He urged governments to put health at the centre of climate negotiations and protect those most at risk, including children, pregnant women, older people and outdoor workers.
COP31 runs until 20 November. Governments, scientists, businesses, young people and civil society groups are taking part. Discussions will focus on implementing the Paris Agreement, expanding climate finance, strengthening adaptation and speeding up the transition to cleaner energy. A test of those commitments is whether they help health services stay open and patients get care when extreme weather strikes.
