The COP30 report reveals how climate change is spreading infectious diseases to new regions, posing a significant threat to global health. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events create ideal conditions for pathogens and their vectors, such as mosquitoes, midges, and ticks, to thrive. This is confirmed by a recent report for the global climate change conference, COP30, produced by a team of global south scientists. The report highlights how deadly diseases like West Nile virus, dengue, and chikungunya are now spreading to new regions in Africa and Europe due to the changing climate. The authors, Tulio de Oliveira, Cheryl Baxter, and PhD candidate Maambele Khosa, explain the need for action to keep people at risk of infection safe and prevent the multiplication of infectious diseases.
Several compounding factors make disease risks worse under climate change. First, pathogens can adapt to new vectors and climates, as seen with chikungunya virus mutations that enabled the Aedes albopictus mosquito species to spread the virus more easily. Second, extreme weather events like droughts and floods disrupt ecosystems and human settlements, allowing waterborne pathogens like Vibro cholera to thrive. Third, climate-driven migration forces millions of people into overcrowded areas without enough water or toilets, increasing their exposure to endemic diseases and sparking the spread of new pathogens, especially in Africa, where health systems are often under-resourced and populations are highly vulnerable.
To respond to climate-related epidemics, new technology is crucial. Surveillance and genomic tracking are essential tools for early detection and response. Genomic surveillance monitors how viruses are evolving in real-time, allowing scientists to identify emerging viruses before they cause widespread outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic system, where genomics were used to identify and characterize variants, can now be applied to other pathogens. Integrating sampling from the environment, animals, and humans, known as the One Health approach, has been effective in responding to Rift Valley Fever virus in Kenya.
If nothing is done, the consequences could be dire. Climate-driven migration in Africa is projected to displace up to 113 million people internally by 2050. Without robust preparedness, African health systems will face significant strain. Climate migrants, who often lose everything, settle in areas with limited healthcare infrastructure, poor sanitation, and high infectious disease prevalence, increasing the likelihood of outbreaks. The movement of people can also spread pathogens to new regions, requiring coordinated responses and investments in health system preparedness.
To address these challenges, governments must prioritize building healthcare systems that can withstand and respond to climate-related shocks. They should ensure equal access to vaccines and diagnostics, invest in community-based surveillance, and make low-cost disease diagnosis available at all local healthcare centers. Sustainable funding is essential for research, capacity building, and public health interventions. Regional cooperation is key in sharing data, coordinating responses, and managing migration flows, helping to contain outbreaks and support adaptation.
The COP30 Health Day on November 13, 2025, will promote regional cooperation by presenting the Belém Health Action Plan, which supports the implementation of the report’s recommendations. This includes increased surveillance and monitoring, evidence-based policies, strategies, capacity-building, and innovation. Addressing climate-amplified diseases is crucial for health and climate justice, as the global south, despite contributing the least to climate change, bears the greatest burden. Governments and private industries that contribute the most to climate change should be held accountable and contribute their fair share to the response.