Analysis
Chan’s claim aligns with the **WHO’s 2015 assessment** that climate change exacerbates health threats like heat stress, infectious diseases, malnutrition, and respiratory illnesses due to air pollution. The **Lancet Countdown** and **IPCC reports** (e.g., AR6, 2022) further corroborate these links, emphasizing that health systems must adapt to climate impacts and advocate for mitigation policies. Her call for health sector inclusion in climate discussions is consistent with **global policy frameworks**, such as the **Paris Agreement’s recognition of health co-benefits** (Article 4.1) and the **WHO’s Climate and Health Country Profiles**. No credible evidence contradicts the core assertion that climate change poses a direct health threat or that health stakeholders should participate in policy dialogues.
Background
Margaret Chan served as **WHO Director-General (2006–2017)** and frequently highlighted climate-health connections, including at **COP21**, where health was formally integrated into climate negotiations for the first time. The **2015 Lancet Commission** (to which WHO contributed) labeled climate change the *'greatest global health threat of the 21st century'*, framing it as a multiplier of existing vulnerabilities. This statement preceded later initiatives like the **WHO’s 2021 COP26 Health Programme**, which operationalized her call for health sector engagement in climate action.
Verdict summary
Margaret Chan’s 2015 statement accurately reflects the well-documented health risks of climate change and the need for health sector involvement in climate policy, as supported by WHO reports and peer-reviewed research.