For the first time in the history of climate talks, there will be an entire day dedicated to health, providing an opportunity to address the direct health impacts of climate change on individual well-being and healthcare systems.
A first look at the draft of a climate and health declaration which is due to be adopted at COP28 sees glaring omissions of any acknowledgement of fossil fuels as the driver of climate change.
This is not the first time the health community has united for a climate cause. In 2020, 40 million health professionals signed a letter urging governments to prioritise “clean investments” for economic recovery out of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, global medical journals called climate change “the greatest threat to global public health.”
Climate change and health are inextricably linked. Air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels is responsible for 7 million premature global deaths per year, more than the global death toll during the entire COVID-19 pandemic. In the past few years, we’ve seen extreme weather events that have been attributed to climate change, have had massive impacts on people’s health – such as the threat of water-borne diseases post the floods in Pakistan in 2022. Extreme events also cause extensive damage to healthcare infrastructure which can be an added stress to an already burdened healthcare system.
One of the key demands of the letter is that fossil fuel industry representatives be excluded from climate negotiations, in the same way, that the tobacco industry was not allowed to participate in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The letter states, “it is imperative to safeguard global collaboration on climate progress from the lobbying, disinformation, and delays in favour of industry interests. ” Last year’s COP27 saw a record number of representatives for the oil and gas industry in attendance, and this year the number is expected to be higher.
This letter was coordinated by the Health Care Without Harm and Global Climate and Health Alliance on behalf of the climate and health community.
What you need to know:
The letter is written by the global health organisation leadership and outlines the critical need to protect human health.
It argues that the draft of the climate and health declaration to be adopted at COP28 makes glaring omissions of “acknowledgement of fossil fuels as the main driver of climate change.
The health professionals demand that fossil fuel industry representatives be excluded from climate negotiations.
A group of global health organisations has written an open letter to COP 28 President-Designate Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber demanding a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels as the world gears up to COP28 later this month.
The letter— written by the global health organisation leadership and supported by organisations that represent 46.3 million health professionals such as the World Medical Association, World Federation of Public Health Association, and International Council of Nurses, outlines the critical need to protect human health by reducing dependence on fossil fuels, rapidly investing in clean energy technology, and reducing air pollution – all from the perspective that public health will benefit from this rapid transition. This letter is also endorsed by medical journals such as the British Medical Journal.
“Ending fossil fuel dependence is a prerequisite for a healthier world. The climate change effects are choking our people and our planet, and on top of this, disease outbreaks will become more frequent increasing the risk of emerging pandemic threats. We must act now to prevent pandemics from taking hold, and part of addressing the root cause is reducing carbon emissions through an accelerated, fair, and just transition,” says Aggrey Aluso, Africa Director, Pandemic Action Network.
Published today, the letter argues that the draft of the climate and health declaration to be adopted at COP28 makes glaring omissions of “acknowledgement of fossil fuels as the main driver of climate change.”
A key demand of health professionals is that fossil fuel industry representatives be excluded from climate negotiations in the same way the tobacco industry is restricted from participating in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
For the first time in the history of climate talks, there will be an entire day dedicated to health, providing an opportunity to address the direct health impacts of climate change on individual well-being and healthcare systems.
For COP28 to truly be a “health COP,” the letter says, it must address the root cause of the climate crisis: the continued extraction and use of fossil fuels including coal, oil, and gas.
The health bodies assert that solutions like carbon capture and storage (CCS) risk making harmful emissions worse, straining the health of overburdened communities, and delaying progress toward meaningful climate progress.
Last year’s COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh saw a record number of representatives from the oil and gas industry in attendance, and this year the number is expected to be higher.
Dr Lujain Alqodmani, President, of the World Medical Association noted that a rapid transition will be a win-win on all fronts.
“As representatives of the global medical community, we fully support this letter. We are already seeing the impacts of the climate crisis on our health—heat stress, malnutrition, anxiety, vector-borne diseases, and respiratory illnesses due to dirty air to name a few. Extreme weather events have another far-reaching impact –hospitals and healthcare centres that are meant to provide cure and relief are often first in the line
of fire, with access and infrastructure getting hit. Our dangerous addiction to fossil fuels will only
aggravate this further. This is why we think that a rapid transition to clean and equitable forms of energy is a win-win on all fronts.”
Dr Latifa Patel, Representative Body Chair, British Medical Association added that the climate crisis is a health emergency and called for healthcare workers and experts to stand together and call for a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.
“The climate crisis is a health emergency. As doctors working on the front line, our members see first-hand the devastating impact of climate change and air pollution on our patients. Doctors, healthcare workers, and health experts worldwide must stand together and send a clear message to the COP28 Presidency and world leaders that international action and cooperation are vital to ensure a just, equitable, and rapid phase-out of fossil fuels to safeguard the future of the planet and the wellbeing of the global population.”
The letter was coordinated by the Health Care Without Harm and Global Climate and Health Alliance on behalf of the climate and health community.