In their editorial in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, H.E. José Ramos-Horta (President of Timor-Leste), Dr. Unni Karunakara (Former Interim Director, UNU-IIGH), and Dr. Remco van de Pas (Policy Research Lead, UNU-IIGH) call for urgent, integrated action in Timor Leste to strenghten climate-resilient health systems, ensure food and health security, and support a just transition to renewable energy.
The article lays out five strategic priorities for a transformative whole-of-society approach to tackle climate and health challenges in the country:
- strengthening climate-resilient health systems
- promoting climate-smart agriculture and health interventions
- ensuring equitable access to health care
- enhancing respectful international partnerships
- raising public awareness
This call to action builds on discussions held during a meeting of the authors in Timor-Leste in January 2025, where they explored opportunities for collaboration. The dialogue centered on the need to address the interconnected challenges of the climate crisis, public health, pandemics, and food insecurity, while also fostering academic partnerships, supporting researcher exchanges, and advancing Timor-Leste’s pivotal role as both a Pacific Island nation and an ASEAN candidate.
Read the full article: https://go.unu.edu/R2vKj
Read the May Issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization here: https://go.unu.edu/cKr4k
