Neuro-Oncology Advances 4(1), 1–3, 2022 | https://doi.org/10.1093/noajnl/vdac160 | Advance Access date 19 October 2022 1 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press, the Society for Neuro-Oncology and the European Association of Neuro-Oncology. COP27 Climate Change Conference: Urgent action needed for Africa and the world Wealthy nations must step up support for Africa and vulnerable countries in addressing past, present and future impacts of climate change* Lukoye Atwoli, Gregory E. Erhabor, Aiah A. Gbakima, Abraham Haileamlak, Jean-Marie Kayembe Ntumba, James Kigera, Laurie Laybourn-Langton, Bob Mash, Joy Muhia, Fhumulani Mavis Mulaudzi, David Ofori-Adjei, Friday Okonofua, Arash Rashidian, Maha El-Adawy, Siaka Sidibé, Abdelmadjid Snouber, James Tumwine, Mohammad Sahar Yassie, Paul Yonga, Lilia Zakhama, and Chris Zielinski Editor-in-Chief, East African Medical Journal (L.A.); Editor-in-Chief, West African Journal of Medicine (G.E.E.); Editor-in-Chief, Sierra Leone Journal of Biomedical Research (A.A.G.); Editor-in-Chief, Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences (A.H.); Chief Editor, Annales Africaines de Medecine (J.-M.K.); Editor-in-Chief, Annals of African Surgery (J.K.); University of Exeter, UK (L.L.-L.); Editor-in-Chief, African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine (B.M.); London School of Medicine and Tropical Hygiene (J.M.); Editor-in-Chief, Curationis (F.M.M.); Editor-in-Chief, Ghana Medical Journal (D.O.-A.); Editor-in-Chief, African Journal of Reproductive Health (F.O.); Executive Editor, Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (A.R.); Director of Health Promotion, Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (M.E.-A.); Director of Publication, Mali Médical (S.S.); Managing Editor, Journal de la Faculté de Médecine d’Oran (A.S.); Editor-in-Chief, African Health Sciences (J.T.); Editor-in-Chief, Evidence-Based Nursing Research (M.S.Y.); Managing Editor, East African Medical Journal (P.Y.); Editor-in-Chief, La Tunisie Médicale (L.Z.); University of Winchester, UK (C.Z.) Corresponding Author: Chris Zielinski (chris.zielinski@ukhealthalliance.org) *This Editorial is being published simultaneously in multiple journals. For the full list of journals see: https://www.bmj.com/content/ full-list-authors-and-signatories-climate-emergencyeditorial-october-2022 The 2022 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) paints a dark picture of the future of life on earth, characterised by ecosystem collapse, species extinction, and climate hazards such as heatwaves and foods. 1 These are all linked to physical and mental health problems, with direct and indirect consequences of increased morbidity and mor- tality. To avoid these catastrophic health effects across all re- gions of the globe, there is broad agreement—as 231 health journals argued together in 2021—that the rise in global tem- perature must be limited to less than 1.5 o C compared with pre-industrial levels. While the Paris Agreement of 2015 outlines a global action framework that incorporates providing climate fnance to de- veloping countries, this support has yet to materialise. 2 COP27 is the ffth Conference of the Parties (COP) to be organised in Africa since its inception in 1995. Ahead of this meeting, we— as health journal editors from across the continent—call for ur- gent action to ensure it is the COP that fnally delivers climate justice for Africa and vulnerable countries. This is essential not just for the health of those countries, but for the health of the whole world. Africa has Suffered Disproportionately Although it has Done Little to Cause the Crisis The climate crisis has had an impact on the environmental and social determinants of health across Africa, leading to dev- astating health effects. 3 Impacts on health can result directly from environmental shocks and indirectly through socially me- diated effects.. 4 Climate change-related risks in Africa include fooding, drought, heatwaves, reduced food production, and reduced labour productivity. 5 Droughts in sub-Saharan Africa have tripled between 1970- 1979 and 2010-2019. 6 In 2018, devastating cyclones impacted 2.2 million people in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. 6 In west and central Africa, severe fooding resulted in mortality and forced migration from loss of shelter, cultivated land, and livestock. 7 Changes in vector ecology brought about by foods and damage to environmental hygiene have led to increases in diseases across sub-Saharan Africa, with rises in malaria, Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/noa/article/4/1/vdac160/6763225 by guest on 21 October 2022