To:

European Environment and Health Task Force (EHTF)

Working Group on Health in Climate Change (HIC)

National International Health Regulations (IHR) focal points

WHO National Counterparts

Cc:

WHO Representatives and Heads of Country Offices

WHO Secretariat

Dear colleagues,

As part of its response to the ongoing record-breaking heatwave affecting many countries across the Region, WHO/Europe, in cooperation with the Co-Chairs of the Health in Climate Change Working Group of the European Environment and Health Task Force and the network of IHR national focal points is convening an ad-hoc online meeting to support Member States in responding to the public health impacts of extreme heat.

Date: 6 July 2026
Time: 12:00 – 13:30 CEST

Duration: 90 minutes

Language: English (with automatic translated captioning in Russian)
Format: Hybrid (online participation on Zoom)

Please register at the following link:

Registration link

The session will serve as a rapid "check-in" with Member States to exchange on the impacts observed and responses deployed under the current heatwave, share experiences and lessons learned, identify emerging needs and challenges, and discuss how WHO/Europe can best support countries during the remainder of the summer.

To support a focused discussion, Member States’ representatives are invited to reflect on the following guiding questions:

• What are the main public health impacts and operational challenges currently being observed in relation to the extreme heat, including the population groups, settings or services of greatest concern?
• Which response measures have been activated, including national emergency management mechanisms under IHR?
• What is working well, and where are the main gaps or constraints in preparedness, response, coordination or communication?
• What lessons drawn from the current response should inform preparedness for further heat events later this season, and in the future?
• What type of immediate or additional support from the WHO/Europe would be most useful during the current event and for the remainder of the summer?

The 90-minute webinar will take place as the opening session of the EHP Partnership for Health Sector Climate Action strategic meeting, which will be held in a hybrid format in Skopje, North Macedonia, on 6-7 July 2026.

The discussion will be framed by the recent Call for Action of the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health, particularly its emphasis on strengthening heat-health action planning. It will build on the commitments made by all Member States in the 2023 Budapest Declaration to develop heat-health action plans, as well as on the launch of the updated WHO Heat-health action plans guidance on 11 June.

In case of questions, please contact Dr Vladimir Kendrovski ([email protected])

We look forward to your participation and to a productive meeting.

Kind regards,

Francesca Racioppi                                                     Dr Ihor Perehinets

Head, WHO European Centre for                               Director, Health Security and Regional

Environment, Climate Change and Health                 Emergency

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EHP Secretariat
WHO Regional Office for Europe | European Centre for Environment, Climate Change and Health | Bonn, Germany
E-mail: [email protected] | Web: European Environment and Health Process (EHP)