IPB University Students Participate in WHO SEARO Meeting in Dili, Discuss Climate Funding for Health in ASEAN
IPB University student from the Natural Resources and Environmental Management Science Study Program (PSL), Ryco Farysca Adi participated in a meeting held by the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region (WHO SEARO) in Dili, Timor Leste.
In that moment, he was accompanied by Dr Perdinan, a lecturer from the Department of Geophysics and Meteorology of IPB University to attend the “Working Group Meeting on Accessing Climate Finance for Health in the Southeast Asia Region”.
The meeting was organized to strengthen the understanding and capacity of stakeholders in the Southeast Asia region regarding health-focused climate finance.
The first session featured a presentation by the Alliance for Action on Climate Change and Health (ATACH) Secretariat that highlighted the major challenges in accessing climate finance for health.
“We were also introduced to the various initiatives being undertaken by ATACH to increase investment in the climate health sector,” said Ryco.
In the ensuing discussion, the focus turned to the economic impacts of climate change on health, with presentations from various ATACH partners, including the World Bank, outlining the health costs of inaction.
According to Ryco, “The discussion gave us new insights into the urgency of funding and policy strategies needed to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.”
After lunch, participants were again treated to presentations from several ATACH partners, including the Rockefeller Foundation, FCDO, ADB, and Save the Children, who discussed various efforts in climate-based health funding and initiatives.
He said that one of the main themes raised was the importance of mapping funding flows and the challenges faced in addressing funding gaps in the climate-based health sector.
“Here, I participated in a discussion on how to improve financing mechanisms to support community adaptation to the climate crisis,” Ryco said.
According to Dr Perdinan as the accompanying lecturer, the participation of IPB University students in this event not only provides new insights into climate funding challenges, but also opens opportunities for them to be directly involved in strategic discussions that can have a positive impact on public health in Southeast Asia.
“Through this experience, students are expected to bring more applicable knowledge and solutions in the face of increasingly urgent climate change,” he said.
During the event, he also facilitated the discussion on developing a proposal for climate change action design in the health sector in accordance with the WHO Framework on Climate Health.
To conclude the event, the representatives formulated follow-up steps that need to be taken to strengthen the response to the impacts of climate change in the health sector.
The meeting was also attended by the Indonesian Ambassador to Timor Leste, as well as representatives from Indonesia such as the Ministry of Health, UNDP Indonesia, and Hakli Ministry of Health. Participants from the region consisted of government representatives or representatives from India, Srilangka, Bhutan, Thailand, Nepal, Maldives, Bangladesh, National University of Singapore, United Nations University, ADB, and UNDP, with resource persons from global climate fund managers from Green Climate Funds and Adaptation Funds. (IAAS/LAN)
