Sustainable Health in Turbulent Times
Good health and wellbeing are deeply inscribed in the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. They are both a goal to be achieved and a dimension of sustainable development in complex, mutual interactions with most of its other dimensions, from climate to biodiversity, justice, equity, peace, and more.
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The importance of the interconnections between the health of people and planet was once again acknowledged with the announcement of the COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health. Backed by over 120 governments and a billion dollars in funding for integrated climate and health initiatives, this Declaration recognizes the need to centre health in our efforts toward a sustainable future.
Yet, health and health systems are also challenged like never before due to increasing polarization, escalating conflicts, ongoing wars, disasters, the rapid deterioration of global ecosystems, rising energy, food, warfare, water insecurity, and lacking progress on justice and equity all around the world.
In contrast to their aspiration to ‘do no harm’, health systems and services exacerbate these challenges through their substantial environmental footprint, the perpetuation of structural racism and inequity, and other pathways. Therefore, a fundamental transformation of how we understand and deliver good health and wellbeing for people and planet alike is required.
The SDG Conference Bergen 2025 will boldly advance this transformation in health that is already taking root within and outside the health sector. Combining inspirational keynotes, panel debates, and a range of interactive formats, the SDG Conference Bergen 2025 will challenge participants to take a broader view of health that emerges from its present complexities and obstacles and explore its practical implications and challenges at a global scale.
Drawing on international experiences, we will then turn our focus to Norway as a focal point for advancing relevant transformations and exploring how responsibilities for health and climate exceed national interests and boundaries. Through interactive exchanges with key stakeholders, conference participants will explore critical leverage points and dilemmas for sustainable health in these turbulent times while accelerating cross-sectoral action at the intersections of climate, health, and sustainability.
