WMA Statement on Divestment from Fossil Fuels

Adopted by the 67^th WMA General Assembly, Taipei, Taiwan, October 2016
and revised by the 77^th WMA General Assembly, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, October 2026

PREAMBLE

Protecting the health and well-being of current and future generations requires a full, rapid and equitable global phase-out of fossil fuels to limit global warming and its health impacts.

The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) notes that rising global activity levels in industry, energy supply, transport, agriculture, and buildings relying on an increased use of fossil fuels, continues to be the most important driver of increases in carbon dioxide emissions.

As recognised by the WMA Declaration of Delhi on Health and Climate Change, consequences of climate change, including higher temperatures, air pollution and extreme weather events adversely affect health globally. Vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant people, older adults, people with pre-existing conditions, and socially disadvantaged individuals, are at greatest risk.

Recent decades have marked an unprecedented period of global warming. The sustained trend of successive record-breaking temperatures has been associated with a nearly 70% increase in heat-related mortality among people aged over 65 over the past two decades.

As recognised by the WMA Declaration on Prevention and Reduction of Air Pollution to Improve Air Quality, air pollution has been linked to over 8 million premature deaths or 12% of all deaths globally in 2021. Products of fossil fuel combustion, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, are the main components of air pollution worldwide.

The direct and indirect health impacts of fossil fuel combustion strain public health systems and increase healthcare costs while reducing workforce productivity due to illness and premature death. These impacts are not evenly distributed. Although all populations are affected to some extent, those that are socially and economically marginalised will face the greatest risks and have the least capacity to adapt, widening health disparities.

Climate change is the greatest threat to human health of the 21st century, and the COP21 Paris Agreement on climate change calls upon governments “when taking action on climate change” to “respect, promote and consider their respective obligations on human rights (and) the right to health.”

Given the clear and increasingly harmful health effects of climate change, health professionals have a responsibility to mitigate and adapt to these risks, including ensuring that health organisations do not incentivise production and consumption of fossil-fuels that continue to drive climate change including through investments.

In line with the principles of non-maleficence, intergenerational equity, and the right to health, the transition away from fossil fuels should be regarded as an ethical obligation of the global health community.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The WMA recommends that its constituent members and health organisations:

1. Declare climate change a public health emergency and continue to educate physicians and other health professionals, students, scientists, civil society organisations, businesses, and governments on the health benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advocate for the incorporation of health impact assessments into policy.
2. Encourage governments to adopt a timebound and transparent phase out of fossil fuels consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C in a fair and equitable manner, including a just transition protecting workers and communities, and encourage the expansion of sustainable, renewable fuel sources following environmental regulations and standards.
3. Support efforts of and incentives for physicians and other health professional associations to proceed with divestment of companies that generate the majority of their income from the exploration for, production of, transportation of, or sale of fossil fuels.
4. Embed climate considerations into its selection and retention of external asset managers. This should include an assessment of climate-related voting policies and practices, their corporate engagement activities and outcomes, and policy advocacy.
5. Encourage sustainable renewable energy and discourage fossil fuel energy in hospitals and healthcare systems.