Belém | Brazil I November 17, 2025 – On Tuesday, November 18, health leaders, representing millions of health workers around the world, will issue a collective call at the joint ‘Health Leaders call for Life-saving Transition Away from Fossil Fuels’ press conference, urging all parties at COP30 to deliver a decisive roadmap that transitions away from fossil fuels.
Speakers will include physicians from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) alongside climate health experts from the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA), the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), and the International Council of Nurses.
With air pollution causing over 7 million premature deaths each year, rising heatwaves threatening lives and livelihoods, and climate-driven disasters pushing health systems to breaking points, they will make the health case for a rapid and just transition.
Speakers’ List
Moderated by Leah Temper, Health and Economic Policy Director at CAPE, the conference will include:
- Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA), Dr. Courtney Howard, Vice-Chair and emergency physician;
- International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), Gustavo Henrique Nicoletti Dalle Cort, Liaison officer for Public Health Issues at IFMSA and a medical student at the Federal University of Parana (UPFR);
- International Council of Nurses (ICN), Gillian Adynski, PhD, RN, Health Policy Analyst;
- The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), Dr. Joe Vipond, Past President and emergency physician.
Physicians and nurses will share their experiences protecting people’s health and make the case that the transition means countries are choosing cleaner air, healthier communities, and stronger, more resilient health systems. They are choosing to prevent illness rather than treat its symptoms.
Press Conference Details
- When: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
- Time: 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm Belém time (GMT -3); 3:30 to 4:00 pm Ottawa time (EST).
- Where: COP30 – Press conference room 2, Blue Zone.
- Livestream link (hyperlinked)
- Available through: https://unfccc.int/cop30/meetings-at-a-glance?date=2025-11-18
As COP30 advances, the world has an opportunity to align climate ambition with the most fundamental of responsibilities: protecting people’s health, from cradle to grave.
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VISUALS / INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
The spokespeople will be available for photo/video and interviews in english, spanish and portuguese. For french interviews, please reach out to media@cape.ca for coordination with our bilingual physicians.
About CAPE
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is a physician-directed non-profit organization working to secure human health by protecting the planet. Since its founding in 1994, CAPE’s work has achieved substantial policy victories in collaboration with many partners in the environmental and health movements. From coast to coast to coast, the organization operates throughout the country with regional committees active in most provinces and all territories. cape.ca
About the Global Climate and Health Alliance
The Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) is a consortium of more than 200 health professional and health civil society organisations and networks from around the world addressing climate change. We are united by a shared vision of an equitable, sustainable future, in which the health impacts of climate change are minimised, and the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation are maximised. climateandhealthalliance.org
About the International Council of Nurses (ICN)
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of over 140 national nurses associations (NNAs), representing over 30 million nurses worldwide. Founded in 1899, ICN is the world’s first and widest reaching international organisation for health professionals.
About the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA)
The International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), founded in 1951, is one of the world’s oldest and largest student-run organisations. It represents, connects and engages every day with an inspiring and engaging network of 1.3 million medical students from 139 national member organizations in 130 countries around the globe.
Media contact
On the ground in Belém – Robb Barnes, Climate Program Director, robb@cape.ca, 613-276-5753
In Canada – Loujain Kurdi – Communications Manager | Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 647-762-9168, media@cape.ca
In Europe – Dave Walsh, Communications Advisor, Global Climate and Health Alliance, press@climateandhealthalliance.org, +34 691 826 764 (In Europe, available from 0630 CET)