Climate change represents one of the greatest threats to public health. The climate emergency is a health emergency as it undermines the very foundations of good health, with direct and immediate consequences for patients, the public and the healthcare system.
Nine of the ten hottest years on record have occurred within the last decade, and in 2019 almost 900 people were killed by heatwaves in England. Without accelerated action, the UK will face more intense heatwaves, more frequent storms and flooding, and an increased spread of infectious diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis and vibriosis. These impacts threaten to reverse decades of progress in public health.
More broadly, climate change contributes to cardiovascular disease, asthma, and cancer, while also worsening air pollution, obesity and poor diet. The combustion of fossil fuels remains a primary contributor to air pollution-related deaths in the UK, disproportionately affecting deprived and vulnerable communities and widening existing health inequalities.
Climate change is a broad subject and there are many areas to discuss, this webpage only includes a few discussion points so we urge all staff, patients and the wider public to conduct their own research too and look into other ways they can reduce their carbon footprint.