{"id":35110,"date":"2025-11-28T11:13:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T10:13:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/?post_type=news&p=35110"},"modified":"2025-11-28T11:48:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T10:48:15","slug":"advancing-heart-health-through-strong-global-policy-reflections-from-cop11-and-cop30","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/news\/advancing-heart-health-through-strong-global-policy-reflections-from-cop11-and-cop30\/","title":{"rendered":"Advancing heart health through strong global policy: reflections from COP11 and COP30"},"content":{"rendered":"
In 2025, the World Heart Federation continued its advocacy at the forefront of global health by addressing the intersecting threats of tobacco, environmental degradation, and climate change, which together pose a growing burden on cardiovascular health worldwide.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These issues are\u00a0closely connected: the tobacco industry contributes to deforestation, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions, while cigarette\u00a0filters continue to be a major source of toxic waste, including plastic pollution.\u00a0Simultaneously, climate change amplifies cardiovascular risk through air pollution, extreme heat, and disruptions to food security and healthcare systems\u00a0–\u00a0risks\u00a0feel\u00a0most acutely in low- and middle-income countries, where 90% of air-pollution\u2013related deaths occur.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From 17 to 22 November 2025, over 1,600 delegates from 160 Parties and civil society organisations gathered in Geneva for the\u00a0<\/span>Eleventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC)<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>to negotiate a wide range of tobacco control measures<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n WHF delegates delivered three statements to address:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We urged Parties to accelerate implementation of Article 14, strengthening healthcare professionals\u2019 capacity to deliver\u00a0<\/span>tobacco and nicotine<\/span>\u00a0cessation support and expand access to evidence-based treatments for nicotine and tobacco dependence. We highlighted that newer tobacco and nicotine products carry heightened cardiovascular risks, and that\u00a0<\/span>WHO Model List of Essential Medicines\u00a0remain<\/span>\u00a0the safest and most effective pharmacological tools.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n WHF expressed\u00a0particular concerns\u00a0regarding\u00a0limited progress on Article 5.3, which exposes global tobacco control policies to critical vulnerabilities. We called on Parties to firmly reject the tobacco industry\u2019s so-called \u201charm reduction\u201d narrative and reinforce action on Article 5.3 to protect public health from tobacco industry interference.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Building on this advocacy,\u00a0WHF co-hosted the side event\u00a0<\/span>Turning Commitments into Care: Accelerating Article 14 Implementation<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>, together with the\u00a0<\/span>Oriental Republic of Uruguay<\/span><\/b>, the\u00a0<\/span>Republic of Panama<\/span><\/b>,\u00a0<\/span>Malaysia<\/span><\/b>, the\u00a0<\/span>WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub on Article 14<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>, the\u00a0<\/span>World Health Organization<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Action on Smoking and Health US<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Global Alliance for Tobacco Control<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>InterAmerican Heart Foundation<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>International Federation of Medical Students\u2019 Associations<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Union for international Control<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>Vital Strategies<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n WHF applauds the Conference of the Parties for adopting key decisions to strengthen global tobacco control in the face of persistent tobacco industry interference.\u00a0In particular, we\u00a0welcome the adoption of:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tobacco and climate change are not separate threats\u2014they are interlinked drivers of cardiovascular disease. Fossil fuel combustion, urban air pollution, and rising global temperatures\u00a0exacerbate\u00a0heart disease risks, creating cumulative burdens alongside tobacco use. In recognition of this, WHF and Instituto Lado a Lado pela Vida issued\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>joint open letter<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>ahead of COP30, urging governments to place cardiovascular health at the centre of climate commitments.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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