The climate crisis and its threat to health cannot be ignored in the pursuit of a polio-free world. From Pakistan to Mozambique, countries at high-risk for polio are already disproportionately experiencing the impacts of a hotter world. Like other immunization programmes, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is both impacted by and contributes to the climate crisis across its life cycle

GPEI is working towards building a climate resilient polio programme by adapting the programme to meet the challenges of a hotter world and by identifying ways to reduce carbon emissions while enhancing programme delivery.

The first step is a technical brief presenting areas for GPEI stakeholders to explore to both deliver a polio-free world and ensure a climate-resilient future/ The brief explores why building a climate-resilient GPEI is a vital step towards ensuring a safer, healthier future for all; explores how the GPEI is impacted by and contributes to the climate crisis throughout its life cycle  and outlines critical areas for the GPEI to explore to reduce its carbon footprint (mitigation) and protect polio staff, activities and the communities it serves from the effects of a hotter world (adaptation).