Global health community calls for climate action ahead of COP26 to avert “biggest health threat facing humanity” - WHO report calls for ambitious climate commitments as the only path to long-term recovery from pandemic
11 October 2021 – The Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) today calls on the government of South Africa to commit to climate resilient, low carbon, sustainable health systems, with a transparent process for tracking these commitments. The call comes ahead of the UN climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow, UK as more than 300 organizations representing at least 45 million nurses, doctors and health professionals worldwide – about three quarters of the global health workforce – signed an open letter to the 197 government leaders and national delegations ahead of COP26, warning that the climate crisis is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, and calling on world leaders to deliver on climate action (1).
The letter’s publication coincides with the release today of a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO), which argues that countries can only ensure a long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing ambitious climate commitments. The report delivers ten high-level recommendations, backed up by action points, resources and case studies, including the need to place health and social justice at the heart of the UN COP26 climate talks (see note 2 below for full list of recommendations).
The letter states: “Wherever we deliver care, in our hospitals, clinics and communities around the world, we are already responding to the health harms caused by climate change. Those people and nations who have benefited most from the activities that caused the climate crisis, especially fossil fuel extraction and use, have a great responsibility to do everything possible to help those who are now most at risk.”
James Irlam of the Climate, Energy and Health group of PHASA said: “Wildfires, flooding, storms, heatwaves and droughts are on the rise around the world, compounding other challenges such as the pandemic. In southern and South Africa we are seeing the destabilizing impacts of these extreme weather events on food security and nutrition, infectious diseases, mental health, and climate migration. These are increasing heath inequities and putting stress on the capacity of health systems to adapt and respond to emerging health risks. Yet by integrating health and equity into climate policy, the South African Government can protect people’s health, maximize returns on its investments in a just renewable energy transition, and build public support for its responses to the climate crisis. These responses should include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution by the health sector too, and building health facilities that are more resilient to future climate shocks”
The letter calls on all governments to update their national climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, in line with their fair share of limiting warming to 1.5°C. A recent report by UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) found that countries’ collective climate commitments are falling far short of this goal, and would lead to a global temperature rise of at least 2.7°C by the end of the century (3,4).
The 45 million health professionals represented in the letter are demanding a rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels; for high income countries to provide the promised transfer of climate funds; for investments in resilient and low carbon health systems; and for pandemic recovery investments to support climate action and reduce social and health inequities.
The signatories of the open letter represent every region of the world, and include the International Council of Nurses, the World Medical Association, the International Federation of Medical Students Associations, the International Confederation of Midwives, and the International Pediatrics Association. In South Africa they include groundWork, the Physicians Association for Nutrition South Africa, and the University of Cape Town Division of Environmental Health. See full list of signatories.
Notes:
- More information on the #HealthyClimate Prescription letter is available here.
- The WHO report “The Health Argument for Climate Action” is available here. As part of key climate action, the report recommends to:
- place health and social justice at the heart of the UN climate talks, prioritizing those climate interventions with the largest health-, social- and economic gains;
- guide a rapid transition to renewable energy, to save lives from air pollution, particularly from coal combustion, ensuring energy security for health care facilities, and end energy poverty;
- promote sustainable, healthy urban design and transport systems, with improved land-use, access to public space, and priority for walking, cycling and public transport;
- promote sustainable food supply chains and more nutritious diets that deliver on both climate and health outcomes;
- finance a transition towards a wellbeing economy;
- mobilize and support the health community on climate action.
Issued by Public Health Association of South Africa: Special Interest Group on Climate, Energy and Health in collaboration with the WHO. - https://phasa.org.za/special-interest-group/climate-energy-and-health/#overview
For more information from a South African perspective contact:
- Julian A. Jacobs – PHASA, +27 61 917 9661 for interview requests
- James Irlam - PHASA - James.Irlam@uct.ac.za
- Rico Euripidou - PHASA - rico@groundwork.org.za
- Dave Walsh, Communications Advisor, Global Climate and Health Alliance, +34 691 826 764 (Europe) - press@climateandhealthalliance.org is checked regularly.
- Ceridwen Johnson, World Health Organization - johnsonc@who.int
- Arthur Wyns, World Health Organization - wynsa@who.int