The Climate Connection Launch - Tuesday 2nd December, UK

Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Article Date: 02 Dec 2008 - 4:00 PST

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An exploration of the challenges facing public health leaders, their vision and responses to the urgent problems arising from climate change.

Tuesday 2nd December will see the launch of a major new public health initiative to address climate change.

The Climate Connection is tasked with creating a new vision of the role for public health in tackling climate change, equipping the profession to take action on both reducing emissions and on preparing for climate change. The event will bring together public health leaders and educators with professionals from housing, transport, town planning and other sectors - to map out a joint response to the climate crisis, and begin a transformation in public health practice in the regions.

The Government's Chief Scientific Advisor Professor John Beddington will be describing the magnitude of the challenge and calling on the public health profession to put its weight behind meeting the government's far reaching commitments on carbon reduction.

Also speaking at the launch will be Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, who will be exploring the possible health impacts of climate change and highlighting opportunities for combining the climate change and public health agendas.

The initiative is funded by the Department of Health, and arises out of more than two years of collaborative work, led and coordinated by the UKPHA. The importance of supporting regionally-led initiatives and partnerships was identified as one of three priority areas at the National Symposium on Health and Sustainable Development in March 2007.

The Climate Connection is a partnership for public health action on climate change, supported by the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Association, the Health Protection Agency, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the NHS Sustainable Development Unit and the Department of Health.

UK Public Health Association