Global health bodies including doctors from around the world are calling on international governments to phase out fossil fuels.
In an open letter, signed by organisations representing more than three million healthcare professionals, the medics are calling for climate change action to prevent risks to human health.
“We the family doctors, doctors and health professionals of the world call on world leaders to take urgent action to safeguard the health of global populations from the climate crisis,” reads the letter, which comes ahead of a Sydney conference which will see health bodies discuss their experiences of climate change and its effects on health and wellbeing.
“Climate change is already having widespread impact on human health. As frontline health workers we are increasingly responding to health emergencies triggered by the climate crisis. Yet in the face of increasing harm and suffering, new fossil fuel resources continue to be developed and greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise,” it continues.
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Their three main demands include an end to any expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, a call to phase out any existing production and use of fossil fuels, and removing fossil fuel subsidies and replacing them with investments in renewable energy.
Speaking to The Guardian newspaper the World Health Organisation’s environment, climate change and health director Maria Neira said: “Climate change has been identified as potentially the greatest health challenge of the 21st century”.
A recent study linked air pollution with antibiotic resistance, in addition to its impact on lung health conditions including asthma.
In the UK pollution related deaths are estimated at between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths each year. The Ulez expansion, which saw controversy at the Uxbridge byelection was designed with the aim of reducing the impact.
