Health Professionals Around The World Launch The International Climate And Health Council

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Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 27 Nov 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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Senior doctors worldwide have come together to establish the International Climate and Health Council. Their goal is to rally health professionals across the planet to help tackle the health effects of climate change.

The official launch of the Council will be on Wednesday 25 November 2009. It coincides with a series of papers being published by The Lancet on the public health impact of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, before the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Professor Ian Gilmore, President of the Royal College of Physicians, Sir Muir Gray, Director of the Campaign for Greener Health Care, Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of Council at the British Medical Association, Dr Fiona Godlee, Editor in Chief of the British Medical Journal and Lancet Editor, and Dr Richard Horton are among founding members.

Collectively with colleagues from Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, they are calling for urgent government-led international action to reduce carbon emissions and promote the universal adoption of low carbon sustainable lifestyles.

They say that failure to agree to radical reductions in emissions spells a global health catastrophe.

Professor Mike Gill and Dr Robin Stott, co-chairs of the UK Climate and Health Council say: "Climate change is already causing major health problems. This is the first step towards a global network of health professionals which by speaking out has the potential to protect and improve the health of people in both rich and poor worlds."

"The public places trust in health professionals, and will listen to those who play their part in protecting human health from climate change," they add. "This is why health professionals must put their case forcefully now and after Copenhagen. We must give the world's politicians and policy makers no room for doubt on what action they need to take."

Dr Fiona Godlee, editor in Chief of the BMJ says:"Politicians may be scared to push for radical reductions in emissions because some of the necessary changes to the way we live won't please voters. Doctors are under no such constraint. On the contrary we have a responsibility as health professionals to warn people how bad things are likely to get if we don't act now. The good news is that we have a positive message - that what is good for the climate is good for health."

"What's good for the climate is good for health!"
bmj.com

Written by Stephanie Brunner (B.A.)
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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