UN Warns COP29: Climate Emergency Threatens to Escalate AIDS Epidemic Risks

Countries Face Triple Funding Crisis in Climate, HIV, and Debt

GENEVA/BAKU, 21 November 2024—The climate crisis threatens HIV services, increasing risk for vulnerable populations. UNAIDS and UNDP raised this concern at COP29 Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, stated, “The progress we have made tackling AIDS is fragile and could be reversed by climate change.” Many countries that are vulnerable to climate impacts also have high HIV rates and substantial debt, worsening the situation. She stressed the need to address the funding crisis involving AIDS, climate change, and debt to support affected communities.

Countries facing severe climate impacts also deal with high rates of HIV infections. Of the 4,000 adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 newly infected with HIV each week, 3,100 are from Sub-Saharan Africa. This region is particularly vulnerable to severe weather events that could make large areas unlivable.

The Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria plans to direct 70% of its financing to 50 of the most climate-vulnerable countries. However, these nations confront a triple funding crisis. They lack sufficient climate finance, face a US$ 9.5 billion shortfall in HIV funding, and struggle with high sovereign debt.

Currently, nearly half of the global population lives in countries that spend more on debt repayments than health care. In Western and Central Africa, countries pay seven times more on debt than on health services. Since 71% of public climate financing comes as loans, this issue will likely worsen with the changing climate.

Malawi exemplifies this crisis. Cyclone Freddy struck the nation amid a cholera outbreak while it was still recovering from COVID-19. The cyclone displaced around 37,000 people living with HIV, disrupting services and causing shortages of medicine.

At COP29, governments are encouraged to reduce inequalities, strengthen leadership, and provide sustainable financing to avert a climate-related AIDS disaster. Marcos Neto, Director at UNDP, noted, “The AIDS response shows what can happen when affected communities, governments, and institutions work together.”

By integrating health considerations into climate actions, we can safeguard progress, enhance resilience, and ensure no one is left behind.

Notes

UNAIDS and UNDP will host a discussion on HIV and climate change on 21 November at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 14:00-15:00 AZT.

The policy brief titled “The Climate Crisis and HIV” is available here.