Spring Conference 2025
Health Innovation in a Changing Climate: Tackling Disease on the Front Line
Insights from the Harrogate Conference Panel
As the world grapples with the twin crises of climate change and global health threats, a standout panel at the recent Harrogate Conference - co-hosted by Malaria No More UK, the Green Liberal Democrats, Liberal Democrats for International Development (LDID), and LibSTEMM - brought urgent attention to the growing intersection of environmental and health challenges.
Chaired by Lydia Paynter from Malaria No More UK, the panel featured contributions from Lord Jonny Oates, Brian Mathew MP, and Dr Mehreen Dattoo of the Oxford/Jenner Institute. Each brought a unique perspective on how the UK - and the global community - can rise to meet the evolving health challenges posed by a warming planet.
How Climate Change Fuels Global Health Crises
The conversation began with a sobering overview of how climate change is accelerating the spread of disease, particularly in vulnerable, low-income regions. Malaria, for instance, is now being transmitted in high-altitude regions of Ethiopia that were previously unaffected - just one example of how rising temperatures and extreme weather events like flooding are redrawing the disease map.
Malnutrition, another consequence of climate-induced food insecurity, is compounding the problem by increasing vulnerability to infections, especially among children.
The Power - and Responsibility - of Science and Innovation
The panel highlighted the UK’s historical leadership in scientific innovation and health research. The development and deployment of the first malaria vaccine took 13 years - an achievement that underscores both the potential and the challenges of long-term investment in global health science.
Importantly, panellists stressed the need for a broader, more inclusive research agenda - not only focused on children but considering wider demographic and societal impacts. Knowledge sharing, international collaboration, and meaningful engagement with local communities were identified as essential to deploying effective solutions.
The Cost of Inaction: Aid Cuts and Global Setbacks
A key concern raised was the significant impact of UK aid cuts. The reduction in Official Development Assistance (ODA) has led to real setbacks in global health programmes. Half of the UK's current aid budget is reportedly being spent domestically, including on refugee support - leaving critical overseas health initiatives underfunded.
Particularly alarming is the uncertainty around the UK's £9 billion replenishment pledge to the Global Fund. The panel warned that wavering on this commitment could undermine decades of progress.
Bridging Policy and Practice: The Roles of the SDGs
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were highlighted as a vital framework for integrating climate, health, and development. However, the panel noted a troubling gap between aspiration and action. What’s needed now are concrete commitments, robust delivery mechanisms, and political will to follow through.
Where Do We Go from Here ? Panel Reflections
In closing, each panellist offered their take on what must be done:
Dr Mehreen Dattoo called for long-term, multidisciplinary investment in global health research and emphasised the importance of equitable global partnerships and knowledge transfer.
Lord Jonny Oates implored the UK to reclaim its leadership role on the world stage and to honour its commitment to allocate 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to international aid—“to be the grown-up in the room” during global crises.
Brian Mathew MP focused on the urgent need to restore funding and elevate awareness of emerging health threats like Dengue fever. Public and political engagement, he argued, is crucial.
Audience Insights: Funding, Talent, and Collaboration
The audience raised thought-provoking questions around alternative funding models and strategies for retaining foreign-trained scientists in the UK. The consensus? Stronger partnerships, better use of existing resources, and a recommitment to international collaboration are all critical.
Final Thoughts: A Call for Global Solidarity
Dr Dattoo reminded us that diseases do not respect borders: outbreaks are a global phenomenon requiring shared responsibility. Climate change, she noted, is a driving force behind hunger, displacement, and disease.
Lord Oates shared his personal commitment to global justice, shaped by witnessing the Ethiopian famine, and called for moral clarity and leadership in international affairs.
Brian Mathew MP concluded with a powerful message: in the face of mounting ecological and humanitarian crises, climate and global health must remain top priorities on the political agenda.