Q COSTARICA — Global dependence on fossil fuels is intensifying the climate crisis and generating serious health effects, warned Christiana Figueres, former UN climate chief and key architect of the Paris Agreement, upon assuming the co-chairmanship of an international commission of a new Lancet Commission on sea-level rise, health, and justice.
The initiative, promoted by the scientific journal The Lancet, will investigate how rising sea levels threaten health, exacerbate inequality, and reshape habitats, with a final report expected by September 2027
It will also analyze possible legal frameworks for holding those responsible for health damages associated with the climate crisis accountable.
“Companies must understand that, for the continuity of their business, they must reduce emissions. Governments must understand that, to stabilize their economies and protect their populations, they must reduce emissions. I simply believe that enlightened self-interest, based on scientific facts—which is what the commission will propose—is a much more effective path to emissions reduction than a legally binding agreement from which anyone can withdraw,” said Figueres.
The commission’s work stems from calls by health ministers of Pacific islands, who have insisted on addressing sea-level rise as a public health and justice issue.
This phenomenon is already causing the contamination of water sources, impacting food production, and forcing the relocation of entire populations.
“From a health perspective, it is affecting drinking water, sanitation, and food security due to the salinization of all these coastal lands.” “It’s happening right now; it’s a health crisis and the root of all injustices,” Figueres added.
The specialist also linked current energy dependence to global instability, noting that the fuel crisis highlights the vulnerability of the current system and its repercussions for health.
The impact of rising sea levels is not uniform, as regions like the Pacific are experiencing increases above the global average, putting countries like Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Fiji at risk, which could become uninhabitable in the coming decades.
Likewise, low-lying coastal cities like New Orleans, London, and Amsterdam face increasing threats.
Recent research published in Nature warns that sea level rise could be greater than estimated, especially in regions of the Global South.
The commission will also address the social and emotional impact of displacement, as well as the inequalities faced by countries less responsible for climate change but more affected by its consequences.
Christiana Figueres, born in San José, Costa Rica, is the daughter of José Figueres Ferrer, who was President of Costa Rica three times, and Karen Olsen Beck, who served as Costa Rican Ambassador to Israel in 1982 and was a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1990 to 1994. Christiana’s older brother, José Figueres Olsen, was also President of Costa Rica (1994–1998) and presidential candidate in the 2022 elections.