Dive Brief:
- A major new report warns that climate change is poised to undermine five decades worth of progress in global health and calls upon healthcare leaders to spearhead efforts toward tackling the joint issues of global warming and global health.
- The report was authored by the Lancet/UCL commission on health and climate change, which incorporated work from dozens of experts around the globe, and is supported by Margaret Chan of the UN's World Health Organization.
- The authors contend that health has so far been neglected in climate discussions and argue that it needs to be pushed to the forefront.
Dive Insight:
The commission is looking to strategically reframe the topic from one of political debate or "catastrophism" into one that is more positive and relatable: improving human health. The authors argue that health professionals are in a position to change society and take on "powerful entrenched interests," having already done so with the tobacco industry.
The study notes the direct risks to health from incidents such as heat waves, floods and droughts, as well as pollution, spreading diseases and famines; and mental ill-health due to resulting hardship and conflict.