Science Summit at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78)

Over the past years, addressing complex and urgent issues at the intersection of climate, environment, and health has gained ground on international agendas. COVID-19, climate change, access to clean and safe water, and increasing environmental pollution have highlighted the need for transdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to jointly tackle the challenges posed by the climate and ecological crisis. Particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, these problems become even more pressing due to the lack of resources, funding, technology, and social and economic inequalities, exacerbating populations' vulnerabilities to growing hazards.

This session aims to create a space for dialogue and reflection on the contributions that social sciences can make to addressing complex issues at the intersection of climate, environment, and health. While no single discipline or social sector can provide solutions in isolation, we believe that social sciences play a central role in understanding human and contextual dimensions, the needs, and priorities of the most vulnerable populations in our region and engaging them in dialogue with scientific and political sectors. The group "Social Sciences for Climate", was formed following the regional workshop "Climate, Environment, and Health for the Americas," organized by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE), and the Government of Neuquén, Argentina.
We will have presentations by experts from the Latin American and Caribbean region who will present their work and reflections on the role of social sciences in four key themes at the intersection of climate, environment, and health. After the presentations, there will be time for audience questions and discussion.
Climate Change: The growing momentum in the climate and health agenda in LAC; the need to implement cultural strategies to accelerate and enhance climate action - Milena Sergeeva, Chile.
Inequalities, Risks, and Protective Measures: Contributions of social sciences to understanding climate change and health phenomena from a sociocultural and vulnerability perspective - Soledad Nión, Uruguay.
Strengthening Social Participation in Climate, Environment, and Health: Presenting two cases from Argentina y Bolivia - Florencia Garcia and Virna Rivero Herrera.
Experiences of Regional Integration and Cooperation: The Andean Plan for Health and Climate Change developed by the Andean Committee on Health for Emergency Risk Management and Climate Change. ORAS-CONHU - Bertha Luz Pineda Restrepo, Perú.
Convener: Dra. María Inés Carabajal (Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research)