Why Cutting Emissions Is One of the Strongest Public Health Tools in Europe Today

The WHO’s 2025 policy brief shows that cutting greenhouse gas emissions in Europe would quickly save lives by reducing air pollution, promoting healthier diets and increasing physical activity, while also limiting future climate damage. It argues that climate action, if designed fairly, is one of the most effective public health investments Europe can make today.

The World Health Organization’s 2025 policy brief on the co-benefits of climate mitigation for health in the WHO European Region was prepared under the WHO Collaborating Centre on Climate Change, Health and Sustainable Development at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, with contributions from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), École Normale Supérieure in France and the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health. It delivers a clear message: acting on climate change is not only about protecting the planet in the future, but about improving people’s health right now. Europe is warming faster than any other region in the world, with temperatures rising by about 0.5 °C per decade since the early 1990s. This rapid warming is already causing serious harm, including tens of thousands of heat-related deaths each year, growing risks from floods and wildfires, worsening air quality and increasing pressure on food and water systems. Without urgent action, these impacts will intensify, hitting older people, children, people with disabilities and marginalized communities the hardest.

Why cutting emissions saves lives

A central idea in the brief is that climate mitigation brings immediate “health co-benefits”. These are extra health gains that come from reducing greenhouse gas emissions, even before long-term climate benefits are felt. The report highlights three main pathways. First, phasing out fossil fuels leads to cleaner air, reducing heart disease, lung disease and premature deaths. Second, shifting diets toward more plant-based foods improves nutrition and lowers the risk of noncommunicable diseases. Third, redesigning transport systems to support walking, cycling and public transport increases physical activity and improves mental well-being. Research shows that aligning climate policies with the Paris Agreement could prevent millions of premature deaths globally each year by 2040. In Europe, dietary change often delivers the largest health gains, followed by cleaner air and more active travel.

Air, food and movement at the centre

Air pollution remains one of the biggest health threats in the WHO European Region. Burning coal, oil and gas causes hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, while also driving climate change. The brief stresses that reducing carbon dioxide emissions must go hand in hand with cutting other harmful pollutants such as methane, black carbon and ozone, which damage health quickly. Food systems are another major concern. Unhealthy and environmentally unsustainable diets are linked to around 2.5 million deaths annually in Europe. Diets high in red and processed meat increase emissions and disease risk, while diets rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains support both human and planetary health. Physical inactivity is equally damaging, causing around one million premature deaths each year. Climate-friendly transport policies that reduce car use and promote active travel can tackle this problem directly.

A fair and just transition

The brief strongly emphasizes fairness. Greenhouse gas emissions are highly unequal: a small share of people produce a large share of emissions, while low-income groups contribute least but often suffer the most from climate impacts and rising costs. Climate policies must therefore be designed to protect vulnerable populations and ensure benefits are shared. Measures such as carbon pricing can improve health and reduce emissions if revenues are used to support low-income households, promote healthy diets, or improve public transport. The report argues that involving communities in policy design is essential to building trust and avoiding unintended harm.

From evidence to action

Across energy, transport, housing, cities and food systems, the brief shows that well-designed climate policies can deliver cleaner air, healthier homes, safer streets and better diets. Case studies from Romania, Sweden, London and Barcelona demonstrate that these changes are already possible and effective. The report concludes that the evidence is clear and strong. Governments in the WHO European Region now need to place health at the heart of climate policy, include health targets in national climate plans, track results and communicate clearly that climate action is also an investment in longer, healthier lives. Acting on climate change, the brief argues, is one of the smartest and most urgent public health decisions Europe can make.