Global Nurses United (GNU), the preeminent federation of nurse and health care worker unions representing more than 30 nations, will host a virtual press briefing for members of the global press on Wednesday, November 29. Nurse union leaders will detail the growing health impacts of the climate crisis in their respective countries in advance of the beginning of COP28, which will be the first international climate negotiations to feature an official “Health Day” and a health ministerial meeting.

The press conference will feature nurses from Canada, India, Italy, Burundi, and Brazil, and include remarks by Jean Ross, president of National Nurses United, the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States. Their remarks will aim to ensure that media covering the negotiations understand the important link between climate change and public health, from the perspective of nurses around the world. 

Who:

• Solange Aparecida Caetano, Presidente, Federação Nacional dos Enfermeiros (FNE) (Brazil)
• Mélance Hakizimana, Président National, Syndicat National du Personnel Paramédical et d'Appui de la Santé Publique (SYNAPA) (Burundi)
• Linda Silas, President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU)
• Jibin Theerthakkuzhi Chalil, State President & National Working Secretary, United Nurses Association (UNA) (India)
• Andrea Bottega, Segretario Nazionale, NurSIND (Italy)
• Jean Ross, President, National Nurses United (NNU) (USA)

What: Virtual press briefing for members of the global press and release of GNU statement
When: 10:00 a.m. EST/3:00 p.m. UTC, Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Nurse unions are already playing an important role in the fight for climate justice. Not only have nurses been at the forefront of struggles against the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, they have provided relief for the victims of extreme weather events caused by climate change globally.

The 2015 Paris Agreement invoked the “right to health” as a foundational principle for climate action, and health care providers across the globe have always known that the health of our planet and the health of our people are intertwined. Nurses remain committed to protecting people’s health from the impacts of a warming climate and call on our governments to do the same.