Over the past two years, the global health community worked, primarily virtually, to coordinate historic efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, challenging the notion that the ‘pre-pandemic’ financially and environmentally costly business and travel would be essential for global health decision-making to be successful.

Participation in large global health meetings, such as the World Health Assemblies (WHAs), has historically been inequitable, with limited representation of attendees from specific geographical locations, and those from certain socioeconomic, gender and ethnic backgrounds.

Growing literature has explored the enormous amount of greenhouse gas emissions (and accompanying air pollution) from conferences. Despite the global push for sustainability in global health conferences, roundtrip travel alone to WHA72 (2019) has been estimated to result in 2127 tonnes CO2 emissions (0.84 tonnes CO2 per capita). This is almost equivalent to the 2020 per capita CO2 emissions of Nicaragua(0.70 tonnes CO2), Papua New Guinea (0.83 tonnes CO2) and Djibouti(0.85 tonnes CO2).

Virtual or hybrid format conferences do not preclude inequities, may still have a significant environmental impact, and, importantly, have the potential to further accentuate inequities if not mindfully planned. Reflection regarding the mechanisms under which WHA is currently organised and the size of Member State delegations and their contributions to GHG emissions is required.