Maya Malarski

It’s becoming abundantly evident that with rising global temperatures comes increased health risks, be they from increased populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks or greater incidence of waterborne diseases like cholera from flooding. Now, for the first time, this reality is helping inform the vaccine alliance known as Gavi’s five-year investment strategy—which plays an impactful role in global health decision-making, guiding vaccine deployment around the world. Responsible for this push is Maya Malarski, a senior manager on Gavi's policy team who led the climate criteria for Gavi’s Vaccine Investment Strategy released this summer. Not only will this guidance help countries in adapting their immunization programs to climate change, it will also support the decarbonization of immunization efforts and Gavi’s own carbon footprint.

What is the single most important action you think the public, or a specific company or government (other than your own), needs to take in the next year to advance the climate agenda?

Do your research and stay informed. We’re living in the age of disinformation and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between facts and fiction. In order to make informed choices that work for you, whether that’s about how to vote in line with your interests, how to respond to the climate crisis or getting vaccinated, public awareness and media literacy are going to continue to have an important impact on whether we meet global targets. Following trusted sources that give a balanced and nuanced view—neither doomsaying nor overly optimistic—will help us to comprehend the scale of the crisis we are facing. An informed citizen has the power to influence change.

What's the most important climate legislation that could pass in the next year?

Climate change and health are intricately linked. Outbreaks are likely to become increasingly common due to deforestation and loss of natural habitats as animals are being forced into closer contact with humans, increasing the risk of spillover of new pathogens that humans don’t have immunity against. With our current trajectory it’s a question of when, not if, the next pandemic will occur. We need to learn the lessons from COVID-19 and it’s imperative that countries reach an agreement on the Pandemic Treaty so that we are better prepared ahead of the next one and move towards climate justice.

If you could stand up and talk to world leaders at the next U.N. climate conference, what would you say?

Climate change is a problem of today and yesterday, not only of tomorrow and the longer we wait to act, the higher the human cost will be. We have already seen how flooding causes the rapid spread of water-borne and diarrheal diseases like cholera and typhoid, further devastating already stricken communities. The geographical expansion of mosquitoes and other disease vectors means currently unaffected populations are likely to be at increased risk of diseases like dengue and malaria. At the same time, extreme weather conditions are disrupting lifesaving healthcare provisions, like vaccination, putting even more people at risk of disease. We need to keep investing in vaccination, health care, and strong health systems in a bid to minimize the effects of climate change.