Key facts
- Major emitters are failing to match climate pledges with emissions cuts.
- The EU and other high-emitting countries received mid-range health scores but lack sufficient emissions reductions.
- Colombia, Nigeria, and Cambodia ranked highest in integrating health into climate plans.
- Health ministries were involved in national climate plan development in only 15% of analyzed countries.
Governments are claiming to prioritize public health while failing to adequately address their dependence on fossil fuels, according to new research by the Global Climate and Health Alliance. The analysis of 132 countries' climate commitments found that major emitters, including the European Union, are not implementing sufficiently ambitious emissions cuts to protect populations, despite integrating health considerations into their plans. The EU ranked 12th in the alliance's 2026 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Scorecard, with Colombia, Nigeria, and Cambodia topping the list for their health-focused climate strategies. The report also noted that health ministries were involved in developing national climate plans in only 15% of the countries studied, potentially leading to overlooked health consequences of economic decisions.