News

1 Aug, 2011

For more information and to register contact: globalclimate@hcwh.org

 

9 Dec, 2010

Health Care Without Harm, Health and Environment Alliance and Climate and Health Council Sent a Joint Letter to Climate Negotiators in Cancun

Cancun - A side event organized by the WHO and the Mexican government (Wednesday, 8th Dec 2010) stressed the devastating impacts which climate change will bring to human health and wellbeing. It also emphasized the massive benefits to health (and healthcare costs) which mitigating measures bring. This view was backs-up and reiterated through recent evidence (e.g. IPPC, The Lancet report, HCWH/HEAL Report, WHO).

Leading health organizations Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and Climate and Health Council (CHC), together with some of the world’s largest medical, nursing and health organizations are calling on world leaders to take bold action to address climate change. They stress that failure to do so will result in widespread suffering and death.

Read ful letter: "What’s good for climate change is good for health AND the economy"

 

6 Dec, 2010

Health Day at COP16 - Doctors Say: Don't Forget the Health Dividend

Cancun — The "Cancun Climate and Health Statement" launched today, Health Day at COP 16 (1), calls on negotiators to consider the "real costs" of climate change and the benefits of strong action by taking the human health dimension into account.

Endorsed by the World Medical Association (2), the International Council of Nurses and other global health organisations representing millions of health professionals worldwide (3), the Cancun Climate and Health Statement calls on the negotiators to "take into account the significant human health dimensions of the climate crisis along with the health benefits of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies."

Dr Michael Wilks from the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) (4) in announcing the Statement during a meeting of the World Health Organization (5) says: “Overwhelming evidence exists that reducing greenhouse gases benefits not just health but countries’ economies. These “co-benefits” provide all those attending Cancun with a powerful and unifying new narrative - reducing greenhouse gases is good for your health, and for your budget.”

One regional example of these co-benefits is recent research published by the Health and Environment Alliance and Health Care Without Harm Europe. It shows that up to an additional 30.5 billion Euros of public health benefits could be achieved each year by 2020 if the European Union adopted a policy of 30% domestic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions (instead of the current 20% target). (6)

But negotiators in Cancun are barely mentioning this health dividend to the climate talks. "Negotiations seem focussed on financial rather than human costs of climate change," says Professor Hugh Montgomery, University College London. "We want them to take into account the fact that, quite aside from any benefits from averting climate change, strong data show that low-carbon living brings with it enormous benefits to health (less cancer, heart and respiratory disease, dementia, diabetes, depressive illness) and with that comes huge savings in healthcare costs. These health gains could substantially offset the costs of mitigation and urgently need to be factored in." (7)

"Monetary estimates of public health savings do not just apply to Europe: a recent independent scientific report shows that such health and financial gains apply worldwide, and especially to countries such as India and China." (8) "We want the even greater benefits for health in countries and regions other than Europe to be taken into account by governments and acted upon. It is high time for governments to realise that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will improve human health and save them money. Today - Health Day at COP 16 - we plan to take this message to delegates," says Pendo Maro, Senior Climate Change and Energy Policy Advisor, Health Care Without Harm Europe (HCWH Europe) and Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).

Contacts

  • Dr Pendo Maro, Health Care Without Harm Europe (HCWH Europe) and Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), pendo.maro@hcwh.org or pendo@env-health.org. Mobile phone: + 32 495 281 494 + 32 495 281 494   (in Cancun)
  • Dr Michael Wilks, Standing Committee of European Doctors, MWilks@bma.org.uk. Mobile phone: + 44 7870 674490    + 44 7870 674490 (in Cancun)
  • Prof Hugh Montgomery, University College London, h.montgomery@ucl.ac.uk Mobile phone: +44 7981 654 009   +44 7981 654 009

 

Notes

  1. Health Day at COP 16 has been organised to bring the health community together to highlight the benefits for public health of strong climate change to delegates. Doctors and health experts believe that this is a crucial argument for why we need to work towards a global agreement.
  2. The World Medical Association is a credited observer at the UNFCCC talks. The December issue of its Journal will feature climate change. See WMA website.
  3. The Cancun Climate and Health Statement is signed by ten organisations: Climate and Health Council, International Federation of Medical Students' Associations, Health and Environment Alliance, Health Care Without Harm, International Council of Nurses, International Society of Doctors for the Environment, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Standing Committee of European Doctors, World Federation of Public Health Associations, and World Medical Association. It has also been endorsed by Richard Horton, Editor, The Lancet, and Fiona Godlee, Editor, British Medical Journal. It is available in English, French and Spanish.
  4. Dr Michael Wilks, Climate Advisor and Immediate Past President of the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) is part of the Health and Environment Alliance/Health Care Without Harm Europe delegation in Cancun. CPME represents 27 medical associations with approximately 1.5 million members in Europe. Other members are Pendo Maro (see above), Prof Hugh Montgomery, University College London, UK and Walter Vernon (HCWH US Board), San Francisco, USA. More about them at HEAL website and at HCWH website. The delegation is working closely with other groups in Cancun including International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) and Nurses Across the Borders (Nigeria).
  5. The Cancun Climate and Health Statement will be announced by Dr Wilks at a World Health Organization and World Food Programme "side event" called "Improving resilience to protect human health and welfare from the adverse affects of climate change" to be held on Monday, 6 December from 13.20 to 14.40 (Mexico time, minus 6 GMT ).
  6. "Acting Now for better health, A 30% reduction target for EU climate policy", HEAL and HCWH Europe, Brussels, September 2010.
  7. Prof Montgomery was one of the lead authors involved in The Lancet Series, Health and Climate Change, November 2009. One study showed that lower carbon policies in London and New Delhi associated more "active transport" (walking and cycling), more public transport and reduced use of private cars could produce measurable benefits for heart disease, cerebro-vascular disease, dementia, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, and depression. It was called "Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: urban land transport."
  8. Inter Academy Medical Panel, 2010, Statement on the health co-benefits of policies to tackle Climate Change (from Haines A, et al. (2009). Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: overview and implications for policy makers. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61759-1.)

 

2 Dec, 2010: Health and Fiscal Co-benefits of Emissions Reductions: Summary for Negotiators
Health Care Without Harm Europe, Climate and Health Council and Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL) Briefing

Health Care Without Harm Europe, together with the Climate and Health Council and the Health & Environment Alliance, presented a one page briefing for negotiators on climate in Cancun, Dec. 2010. This briefing states clearly the health and fiscal co-benefits of emissions reductions.

Download the Health and Fiscal Co-benefits of Emissions Reductions: Summary for Negotiators

 

16 Sept, 2010: Brussels - Background briefing: New report from Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH)

Full report and press release available at www.env-health.org and http://www.noharm.org/europe/issues/climate/ from 00.01 hrs (01.01 Central Europe Time),

Acting now for better health: A 30% target for EU climate policy

This report sets out new evidence of how higher targets on greenhouse gas emission reductions in the European Union, as part of policy to mitigate climate change, would bring about health gains for Member States and European citizens.

The health benefits resulting from the implementation of climate policy occur because as emissions fall, reductions in certain other air pollutants (fine particles, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide associated with power generation and transport) also take place. As a consequence, the ambient air is healthier and the incidence of respiratory and cardiac disease, associated with exposure to polluted air, falls. Since these conditions are both major contributors to morbidity and mortality in Europe, the impact is very significant both for the health of the population and in slowing the upward trend in health care budgets.

The report is timely because EU Member States are currently discussing the European Union's position on climate policy. The EU has currently a 20% target on reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. A move to a 30% reduction target is supported by several countries and discussions on how to go about this may take place at either the Environment Council meeting on 14 October or even the Heads of State and Governments Council meeting on 28-29 October. The EU is also preparing for the Cancun international climate change negotiations in Mexico in December 2010.


What are the findings?

The report quantifies the health benefits of cleaner air associated with moving to a 30% emissions reduction target. Calculations are made for both 30% "with flexibility", which is what the European Commission calls "30%", and the more ambitious 30% internal target, which does not allow offsetting in third countries. The latter would bring considerably higher health benefits for Europe.


The report:

  • Calculates the savings in the EU due to ill-health as well as loss of life
  • Provides the first-ever figures for health benefits per Member State, including detailed figures for eight countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK)
  • Compares health benefits with the costs of implementing the 30% target
  • Demonstrates that immediate action on climate policy would produce more benefits than if the changes were delayed.

The findings in figures

EU health cost savings: If the European Union shows l leadership by stepping up its current 20% target in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 (from 1990 levels) to a 30% domestic target, the additional benefits will total up to €30.5 billion per year by 2020 (as a result of the commitment to the extra mitigation effort). (Our analysis follows the approach of the European Commission in estimating costs and health benefits as "per year in 2020").

In its May 2010 Communication, the European Commission estimates health benefits at up to €16.7 billion. This figure relates only to loss of life associated with exposure to air quality. The review's estimate is considerably higher because it takes into account morbidity (ill-health) as well as mortality. The additional costs in the study estimate are related to cases of chronic bronchitis, cardiac and respiratory hospital admissions, restricted activity days due to poor air quality, consultations for asthma and upper respiratory symptoms and days of respiratory medication use by adults and children. (See Table 2, Technical section of the report).

If the EU were to move to a 30% internal target, the savings of €30.5 billion in health costs avoided in 2020 would be in addition to the public health benefits anticipated in association with the current EU 20% target on emission reductions estimated at €52 billion per year in 2020.

EU Member State health cost savings: Cost savings of a 30% target in greenhouse gas emissions for eight Member States are as follows: Health benefits per year by 2020 (upper estimate):

Germany €8.1 billion
Poland €4.0 billion
France €3.5 billion
Italy €3.4 billion
Netherlands €1.1 billion
Belgium €0.9 billion
Spain €0.9 billion
UK €0.9 billion
Other EU countries €7.7 billion
Total (All EU countries) €30.5 billion

A breakdown of the effects that contribute to the national costs shown above can be found in the tables in the report's appendix. While the above eight countries take the greatest share of the benefits, some countries, such as Luxembourg, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary, have higher health benefits per capita. (Figures are available on request).

Comparison with climate change policy implementation costs: The health gains measured in the study represent only the tip of the iceberg of overall benefits. They do not take into account the wider impacts of climate change on health caused by phenomena such as heat-weaves, floods, droughts and reduced food production. Nor do they take into account a raft of other health co-benefits, such as the health savings associated with climate policy to reduce private car use and promote more walking and cycling, which would improve fitness and reduce cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and depression.

Nevertheless, the estimates of savings are significant compared to costs of implementing the rise to a 30% target. The European Commission's Communication put the additional costs of the 30% internal target at €46 billion by 2020, or 0.3% of GDP. This compares with our estimates of health benefits of up to €30.5 billion.

Similarly, the European Commission estimates the costs of moving to a 30% 'flexible' target - the one to which the Commission most frequently refers - at €33 billion. This compares with our study estimate on savings of up to €14.6 billion.

Early action doubles benefits: The study also shows that acting immediately on climate policy will produce greater benefits for health. As an illustration, the report includes a chart comparing the cumulative benefits predicted for 2020 as a result of acting now as opposed to starting action in 2015. It shows that the benefits are 250% higher if the move to the 30% internal target takes place immediately rather than after a delay of five years. If action starts today the cumulative benefits are estimated at up to €163 billion compared with up to €63 billion if action starts in 2015.

About the figures: The technical report is the work of Dr Michael Holland, EMRC, UK. He is an independent consultant who has worked for both the European Commission and UN/ECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention) on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on similar cost-benefit studies. In September 2008, he produced a less detailed report for HEAL and others entitled “Co-benefits of stronger climate change policy” report. In the new report, he shows that the previous study for HEAL underestimated - rather than exaggerated - the health benefits of strong climate change policy.

 

Quotes from experts:

Medical perspective

"Doctors have been too timid about highlighting the risks to human health from rises in greenhouse gases. This report gives them an opportunity to put the health-based case and show that an investment now can achieve a quick return for health."

"Circulatory and respiratory diseases are a major cause of ill health in Europe. Approximately 230,000 people die prematurely each year as a result of exposure to air pollution would die prematurely following exposure to air pollution, with associated costs equivalent of 1.5-4% of EU GDP."

Dr Michael Wilks, Climate Adviser and Immediate Past President of the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME).

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) aims to promote the highest standards of medical training and medical practice in order to achieve the highest quality of health care for all patients in Europe. CPME is also concerned with the promotion of public health, the relationship between patients and doctors and the free movement of doctors within the European Union.

CPME is the representative organisation of over 1,3 million European doctors through its full members, the most representative National Medical Associations of 27 countries in Europe. CPME works closely together with its other members, four National Medical Associations from associated and observer countries as well as with specialized European medical associations.

Patients' perspective

"Stronger climate action means reductions in greenhouse gases and cleaner air, and is a welcome breath of fresh air for Europe's 30 million people with asthma. For any family with asthma or other chronic respiratory disease, this means fewer days on which they must stay at home because pollution levels makes it difficult for them to breathe outside."

The report quantifies the number of days of restricted activity that could be avoided per year by 2020 if the EU moved from its existing target of a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to a 30% internal (domestic) target. For example, the EU as a whole, there would more than 13 million fewer days of restricted activity among the working age population. Figures for eight Member States are included in the Appendix 1 of the report.

"Clean air is very important to anyone with a respiratory condition. This report helps make the climate link and provides compelling evidence of how important tackling climate change is within the prevention agenda of patients' groups representing those with asthma, allergies and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)."

Susanna Palkonen, European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA)

The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA) is a European network of allergy, asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patient organizations.


More information from:

  • Dr Pendo Maro, Senior Climate and Energy Advisor, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) and Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) tel: + 32 2234 3647 Mobile: +32 495 281 494. Email: pendo.maro@hcwh.org; pendo@env-health.org
  • Diana Smith, Communications and Media, tel: +33 1 55 25 25 84 Mobile: +33 6 33 04 2943. Email: diana@env-health.org

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of more than 440 organizations in 52 countries working with the health sector to reduce its impact on human health and the environment while advocating for global environmental health. Visit HCWH's website

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) aims to raise awareness of how environmental protection improves health. It brings together more than 60 organizations working at the European level. Visit HEAL's website

 

14 Sept, 2010 - Press Release

30% Emissions Reduction Target Could Save Public Health Billions

Brussels — Member State governments could radically improve public health and save on health care budgets if European Union climate policy were substantially strengthened. These ground-breaking findings are published by health and environment non–governmental organisations (NGOs) today.

The report, Acting now for better health: A 30% target for EU climate policy, commissioned by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and Health Care Without Harm Europe (HCWH Europe), provides the first-ever estimates of the health savings for different Member States should the European Union move from the current 20% target to a 30% target on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

For maximum savings to be made it is important for the EU to adopt an ‘internal’ rather than a "with flexibility" target. An internal target means that the emissions are actually cut domestically in EU Member States rather than being achieved through buying emissions offsets from abroad.

Eight Member States would do particularly well from a higher target. Estimates for the year 2020 show that Germany could save up to €8.1 billion per year, Poland, France and Italy would be the next highest beneficiaries, and Belgium, Spain and the UK would benefit by up to $900 million annually. (2)

For the EU as a whole, the anticipated benefits could be as high as €30.5 billion – equivalent to just under 0.2% of EU GDP.(3) These savings would be on top of the up to €52 billion health gains anticipated as a result of emission cuts to reach the EU's current 20% target. (4)

The findings go beyond recent European Commission figures on health benefits, which did not provide national figures and calculated health benefits on the basis of increased mortality due to exposure to air pollution only. The new analysis covers the costs of both death and ill–health, such as restricted activity due to heart and lung conditions, hospital costs, consultations, and medication.

The improvements in public health occur because as greenhouse gas emissions fall so do other air pollutants. These "side effects", or co-benefits, of climate change policy are an addition to the gains for health of avoiding the effects of climate change, such as heat waves, flooding or increases in infectious diseases. Thus, the report estimates may represent only the tip of the iceberg of the real health benefits of mitigating climate change.

Nevertheless, the calculated savings would make a substantial dent in the costs of implementing the 30% target. At up to €30.5 billion per year in 2020, they represent almost two-thirds of the Commission's estimate on implementation costs of €46 billion per year in 2020 (or 0.3% of EU GDP).

Génon Jensen, Executive Director of Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) said: "This study provides conclusive evidence that cleaner energy and cleaner air, associated with an immediate move to 30% domestic cuts in greenhouse gases by 2020, would go a long way to paying for itself in better health through Europe."

On 14 October, the EU Environment Council will discuss its position on climate change policy. Ms Jensen hopes the report will prompt EU discussions on a 30% domestic target that put the health of Europe's citizens first.

Ms Jensen added: "The findings of this report present the EU with a much needed 'shot in the arm' for the global climate talks next month. We would like to see these new health impact figures clinch the deal so that Europe moves immediately and unilaterally to a 30% internal target prior to the Cancun meeting in December."

Hospitals in Europe, several of which are already "greening" their services (5), are feeling the impact of heat waves and floods. In 2003, the August heat wave killed an estimated 40,000 people but many more were admitted to hospital. In the UK, hospital admissions among the elderly increased by 16% during the year.

"Health cost savings from strong climate action will be welcome news to governments," says Anja Leetz, Executive Director, Health Care Without Harm Europe. "The figures show that acting now would mean 140,000 fewer consultations for asthma and upper respiratory conditions per year by 2020 and thousands of fewer hospital admissions for cardiac and respiratory problems."

Notes to Editors

(1) The full report and a background briefing are available at HCWH's website and HEAL's website

(2) Full breakdowns of EU and country benefits are included in tables in the report.

(3) The estimate of health co-benefit at between €10.6 and €30.5 billion per year is associated with an EU internal, or domestic, 30% target. The European Commission more often refers to a 30% target "with flexibility", which allows some emission reductions to occur in third countries. The report shows a health benefit associated with this second option in the range of €5-14.6 billion. All estimates in the new report show annual figures for the year 2020 as chosen by the European Commission in its studies.

(4) The estimate was originally developed in HEAL's earlier report with CAN Europe, WWF (2008). The co-benefits to health of a strong EU climate change policy. Read The co-benefits to health of a strong EU climate change policy report

(5) Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe, which has recently produced a joint report with the World Health Organization entitled "Healthy Hospitals, Healthy Planet, Healthy People, Addressing climate change in health care settings". Download report.

 

Contacts:

Anja Leetz, Executive Director, Health Care Without Harm Europe (HCWH Europe), Email: anja.leetz@hcwh.org. Visit HCWH's website. Mobile phone: +49 175 732 0657.

Génon K. Jensen, Executive Director, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), E-mail: genon@envhealth. org. Visit HEAL's website. Mobile phone: + 32 495 808732.

Diana G. Smith, Communications, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Email: Diana@envhealth. org Mobile phone: +00 33 6 33 04 2943. She can arrange telephone interviews with medical experts and others. Quotes from medical, health care and patient experts are also included in the Background Briefing available at HEAL's website and HCWH's website

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of more than 440 organizations in 52 countries working with the health sector to reduce its impact on human health and the environment while advocating for global environmental health. Visit HCWH's website

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) aims to raise awareness of how environmental protection improves health. It brings together more than 60 organizations working at the European level. Visit HEAL's website

8 Jan, 2010: Brussels, Post-Copenhagen Position Statement

World leaders failed climate and people’s health

The UN negotiations in December did not deliver the agreement so badly needed by the world.

Rather, world leaders managed only to come up with what UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer described as a “letter of intent.”  The Copenhagen Accord is a non-binding declaration without clear commitments from any government.  It falls far short of a legally binding and ambitious roadmap for reducing emissions to protect the climate and people’s health.

While the Accord does commit (in a non-binding fashion) to US $30 billion for developing countries to address climate change during the period 2010-2012 and to US $100 billion per year by 2020, it does not stipulate how this money will be spent and still falls short of what is really needed.

Health Care Without Harm and Health and Environment Alliance, which led a delegation of public health and healthcare leaders in Copenhagen,  will continue to mobilise public health experts and healthcare professionals around the world as leading advocates for a fair, ambitious and binding treaty—while moving to reduce the health sector’s own climate footprint. (1)

Climate change is already responsible for hundreds of additional deaths each day around the world, and higher temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events are exacerbating some of the major causes of child mortality in developing countries, such as diarrhoeal disease.

Studies have clearly shown how stronger targets on climate change could protect health. One European review has estimated that a 30% target on greenhouse gas emission reductions from 1990 levels by 2020 would result in health benefits of up to 76 billion Euros per year from 2020 onwards. (2)

More recently, the leading international medical journal, The Lancet has published a series of articles on the global co-benefits that can accrue as a direct result of many mitigation activities for greenhouse-gas emissions. It shows that changes in energy systems, methods of transport, and modifications in intensive food production practices and consumer choices can produce positive health consequences.(3)

The health sector is committed to a treaty that provides for public health, drastically reduces greenhouse gas emissions, promotes alternative, renewable energy and provides significant funding for developing countries to adapt and mitigate.

HEAL and HCWH are calling on world governments to turn the framework provided by the Copenhagen Accord into a binding agreement that delivers a fair, ambitious and binding commitment in 2010.

In collaboration with other health organisations, the two leading health groups are committed to strengthening their advocacy and efforts for climate change policies and actions that ensure the protection of public health and the environment.

References:

  1. Healthy hospitals, healthy planet, healthy people: Addressing climate change in healthcare settings, 2009, World Health Organization, Health Care Without Harm http://www.who.int/globalchange/publications/healthcare_settings/en/index.html
  2. The co-benefits to health of a strong EU climate change policy, 2008, CAN Europe, Health and Environment Alliance, WWF http://www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/Co-benefits_to_health_report_-september_2008.pdf
  3. Lancet Series report  on Health and Climate Change, 25 November 2009 http://www.thelancet.com/series/health-and-climate-change

 

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) aims to raise awareness of how environmental protection improves health.   It brings together more than 60 organizations working at the European level.

Health Care Without Harm is a global network of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries working to transform the health care sector so it is no longer a source of harm to people and the environment.

 

16 Dec, 2009: Reports from the Health Delegation

  • Wednesday, December 16, 2009


Today the International Federation of Medical Student Associations (IFMSA) led a health delegation action in the Bella Center.

A leading British doctor from the Climate Health Council, impersonating a polar bear from the Arctic gave a class to the delegates on the health impacts of climate change—particularly its impacts on developing countries.  The bear then presented the Prescription for a Healthy Planet to Dr. Maria Neira, Director of Public Health and the Environment for the World Health Organization (you had to be there).

The action reinforced the need for a fair, ambitious and binding deal. The students made it very clear that actions to reduce emissions will bring huge and immediate benefits to people’s health.    For more see http://www.climateandhealthcare.org/uploads/docs/Press%20Release_UNFCCC%20mtg_final.pdf

As Heads of State began addressing the plenary, two major environmental groups have been barred from entering, despite having the correct accreditation.  Protests outside resulted in the arrest of more than 250 activists.  Tension is mounting as the discussion is far away from an agreement.

Unfortunately it looks more and more unlikely that this deal will be achieved. It is hard to grasp that after years of negotiations governments seem to be unwilling to seal the deal.

President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives rightly stated that Copenhagen is a matter of life or death. At the time of the landing on the moon there was political will to develop the technology and it was achieved within 7 years, so why are we not able to achieve the same now? he asked.  One can only hope that his insistent words will be heard and acted upon by other leaders.

  • Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The second week of climate negotiations in Copenhagen got off with a bang.

While most of our health delegation were stranded outside the conference centre in the cold waiting for access on Monday, talks inside were ‘suspended’ because African countries walked out in protest. African countries accused Denmark of sidelining the negotiations. NGOs in the centre rallied in support of African countries and after discussion and mediation the talks resumed later in the evening.

The few of us, who managed to gain access to the centre exchanged information and strategy on needed action in Copenhagen and what the specific contribution of the health community can be.

When our health delegation finally managed to get in after 7 hours waiting we joined an informal WHO briefing to discuss the latest reflection of health in the negotiation text and immediate steps needed to be taken to strengthen health positions within. Participants highlighted the co-benefits of health on emission reduction measures. Switching from coal to cleaner energy production in India alone for example would have health co-benefits and would cover all mitigation cost. Therefore we continue to call an ambitious, fair and binding treaty that will protect health.

Dr Maria Neira from WHO highlighted the Prescription for a Healthy Planet  as a positive initiative to contribute to building a platform for climate collaboration in the health sector.  The prescription in endorsed by organisations and individuals in more than 120 countries.

On Tuesday our delegation held its first meeting informing participants of the state of the negotiations regarding the mentioning of health in the text.  The shared vision text mentions health as a key justification for action on climate change. The role of health in adaptation is recognised, but it remains to be seen if these nice words will stay in the text and more importantly, can be turned into action.

Some of our delegate members from the student medical community actively lobbied UNFCCC delegates in several countries to support the health reference, and were invited to meet on Wednesday with the French Secretary of State.

As progress seems very slow with many outstanding issues not agreed yet, one can only wonder what kind of deal we will get on Friday. We are running out of time for preventative action to protect the health of the planet.

 

Dec, 15, 2009: WHO's key messages at the COP15

"The bottom line of climate change is its risk to human life and quality of life. If health-enhancing mitigation choices are not prioritized, an important opportunity would be missed." (Margaret Chan, WHO Director- General)

  • The ultimate impact of climate change represents a toll on the most precious resource: human lives and health.
  • Significant co-benefits for population health and well-being can result from mitigation policies in sectors such as energy, transport and agriculture.
  • The health sector will bear most of the burden of protecting and treating people harmed by climate change, and will need support to play its critical role in supporting adaptation and resilience.

You can follow-up the developments on the WHO/Europe website!

 

16 Dec, 2009: Tackling the Twin Threats of Climate Change and the Global Health Gap

Student and professional health leaders from different organizations (HEAL, Medsin-UK, Climate and Health Council, HCWH, International Federation of Medical Students' Associations) offered a Prescription for a Healthy Planet - emphasizing the twinned opportunity decision-makers have to tackle climate change, and to narrow the global health gap between rich and poor.

Read the Press Release

Photo: International students associations and members of the WHO delegation at the COP15 conference in Copenhagen, Dec 2009

10 Dec, 2009: Health Delegation to Arrive in Copenhagen

The Health and Environment Alliance and Health Care Without Harm are leading a 20-person, international delegation of health leaders to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen. The delegation will meet and participate in a series of activities 14 - 17 of December and promote the Prescription for a Healthy Planet.

Read the announcement and view the Delegation Program.

 

18 Nov, 2009: In the U.S. Health Care Without Harm has organized a health sector initiative to pressure President Obama to follow the four principles of the Prescription for a Healthy Planet

 

Global launch of the prescription for a healthy planet at the UNFCCC meeting, 4 Nov 2009 in Barcelona

Global launch of the prescription for a healthy planet at the UNFCCC meeting, 4 Nov 2009 in Barcelona.
Left to right: J. Karliner (HCWH), G. Jenson (HEAL), Dr. R. Bertollini (WHO) photo copyright: Robert van Waarden

 

European launch of the prescription for a healthy planet, 6 Oct 2009 in Brussels

European launch of the prescription for a healthy planet, 6 Oct 2009 in Brussels.
Left to right: - A. Leetz (HCWH), Dr. M. Gill, (CHC), G. Jensen (HEAL), A. Vassiliou (EU Health Commissioner), Dr. P. Liese (MEP), Dr. M. Wilks (CPME), Dr. I. Annesi-Maesano (ERS)

 

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