Brazil Launches 'Plan of Belém' at COP30 to Adapt Health Systems to Climate Risks

Overview

• The Ministry of Health unveiled the first international climate adaptation plan dedicated to health, recognized by the World Health Organization at the COP30 venue in Belém.
• Backed by broad international partners and developed with the recent COP hosts known as the group of Baku, the initiative positions health at the center of climate adaptation policy.
• The plan outlines three pillars: strengthened epidemiological and environmental surveillance, disaster‑resilient health systems and infrastructure, and prioritized care for vulnerable populations.
• Brazil will pilot reconstruction of destroyed facilities in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu as resilient health units designed to maintain operations during extreme events.
• Funding pathways include reallocating public budgets, mobilizing private capital, and a pending request to the New Development Bank exceeding US$350 million to build so‑called smart hospitals, while country participation remains voluntary with new commitments expected.