Climate Change and Health: International Perspective

Learning Objectives

• Players on the world stage

• Initiatives to tackle emissions

• Political challenges

• Why the health sector?

• What can the health sector do?

Players on the World Stage

• United Nations: Global association of governments facilitating cooperation in international law, security, economic development, and social equity

• World Meteorological Organisation: United Nations' authoritative voice on weather, climate and water

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: assesses the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change

• World Health Organisation: United Nations public health arm. Monitors disease outbreaks, assesses the performance of health systems around the globe.

International Initiatives to Reduce Emissions• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: sets an

overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change

• Kyoto Protocol: an agreement linked to UNFCC - sets binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. National cuts in emissions can be supplemented by:o Emissions Trading: allows countries to sell any unused permits to

other countries that are over their targets

o Clean Development Mechanism: allows a country with a commitment to reduce emissions to implement an emission-reduction project in a developing country

o Joint Implementation: allows a country with a commitment to reduce emissions to implement an emission-reduction project in another country which also has a commitment to reduce emissions

We are running out of time!

• The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

• Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen Dec 2009: the parties of the UNFCCC meet for the last time on government level before the climate agreement needs to be renewed.

Climate NegotiationsEnvironment v Politics

• There is an urgent need to reverse the trend of rising CO2 emissions

• Despite this need there is no certainty that the Copenhagen Conference will result in an binding commitment to reduce emissions

• In particular some developing countries are reluctant to agree to caps on emissions

• Credit Crunch

• Energy needs / economic development model of Developing World

• Voter engagement – climate policies seldom determine election success

• Business engagement

• Complexity of issues

• Long term v short term

Climate NegotiationsPolitical challenges

• ‘Obama Effect’

• Green New Deal

• Green Jobs

• Investment in low/zero carbon technology

Climate NegotiationsPolitical opportunities

• Massive reduction in consumption of energyMassive behavioural change

• Massive switch to renewable energyMassive investment in new low/zero

carbon technology

Carbon reductionOptions…

• Climate change is a threat to health:o Heatwaves/Floods/Droughtso Vector borne disease eg Malaria, Dengueo Malnutrition/Diarrhoeao Injury and death through conflicts over scarce

resourceso Stress/lack of food/lack of water/disease caused

by migration

Climate NegotiationsWhy the health sector?

• Can take the long view• Understands the science• Other health initiatives will be overtaken by

the effects of climate change• Action on climate change has health effects

itselfo Positive (“health co-benefits”)o Negative

Climate NegotiationsWhy the health sector? (2)

Health effectsof action on climate change

CAN YOU SUGGEST SOME

• Positive effects?

• Negative effects?

Health effectsof action on climate change

• More physical activity: improved quality of life, reduction in obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, road deaths – plus reduced travel emissions

• Reduced meat/dairy consumption and increased consumption of local seasonal vegetables: reduction in cancer, obesity, heart disease – plus reduction in CO2 and methane emissions

• Improved insulation: reduced winter mortality, asthma and other respiratory complaints – plus less energy used for heating

• Carbon Taxes: exacerbate health inequalities?

• Carbon Quotas/Trading: redistributive of wealth (but could they provide an incentive for population growth?)

Health effectsof action on climate change

What is the health sector doing internationally on climate change?

• IPCC working group (summarises impacts on human health – feeds into Assessment Reports)

• World Health Organisation

• Climate and Health Council

Climate Change and Health Professionals: The Global PerspectiveMaria Neira,Director,Public Health and Environment DepartmentWorld Health Organization,Geneva

Climate Connection Launch December 2008

Cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases, to 2002

WHO estimates of per capita mortality from climate change, 2000

Why the response needs to be global

Map projections from Patz et al, Ecohealth 2007.

WHO Comparative Risk Assessment estimated that by 2000, climate change that had occurred since the 1970s was causing over 150,000 additional deaths per year (WHO, 2002, McMichael et al 2004)

Sixty-First World Health AssemblyMay 2008

New resolution on climate change and health adopted unanimously by

193 Nations

Main objectives for international public health

1) Raising awareness: of the health implications of climate change

2) Strengthening partnerships: to place health at the centre of climate change policy

3) Generating evidence: on the health effects of adaptation and mitigation policies

4) Strengthening public health systems to cope with additional threats posed by climate change

With impoverished populations in the developing world the first and hardest hit, climate change is very

likely to increase the number of preventable deaths. The gaps in health outcomes we are trying so

hard to address right now may grow even greater.

This is unacceptable.

Climate change and health: preparing for unprecedented challenges.

WHO Director General Margaret Chan.December, 2007

1. Raising awareness

Climate change hurtsWorld Health Day 2008: Protecting

health from climate change.www.who.int/world-health-day/en/

Why health should be central:

• Main reasons for concern (e.g. disasters, food shortage, displacement, disease) are health and wellbeing issues

• Most energy and environment decisions (e.g. choice, use of fuel sources) have major direct health implications

2. Partnerships to raise the profile of health in climate change policy

3. Providing Evidence Health Adaptation

• Describing risks from national to global level

• Measuring the effectiveness of interventions

• Evaluating health effects from decisions in other sectors

• Improving decision-support tools

• Assessing the financial costs

Protection of handwashing against diarrhoea, highlighting studies in water-stressed situations.

Adapted from Curtis V, Cairncross S. 2003; Lancet Inf Dis 3:275-281

"Health benefits from reduced air pollution as a result of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions… may offset a substantial fraction of mitigation costs" – IPCC, 2007

We have an opportunity to reduce:

- The 800,000 annual deaths from urban air pollution, and the 1.6 million from indoor air pollution

- The loss of 1.9 million lives, and 19 million years of healthy life, from physical inactivity

- The 1.2 million deaths and over 50 million injuries from road traffic accidents

3. Providing Evidence: Improving health while reducing greenhouse gas emissions

4. Strengthening public health systems

Strengthened action on diseases of poverty: Including wider coverage with vector control and vaccination programmes.

Much of "adaptation" is basic, preventive public health:Improved surveillance and response: E.g. heatwave warnings, compliance with International Health Regulations to prevent international spread of disease.Better management of environmental health determinants: Provision of safe water and sanitation, control of air pollution

What is the health sector doing internationally on climate change?

• IPCC working group (summarises impacts on human health – feeds into Assessment Reports)

• World Health Organisation

• Climate and Health Council

The Climate and Health Council

“Our aim is to mobilise health professionals across the world to take action to limit climate change”

• Pledge – aiming 10,000 signatures from health professionals by Copenhagen (Nov 2009)

• Co-benefits report

What can the UK public health community do internationally?

1. Raising awareness

2. Partnerships: raising profile of health climate change

3. Generating evidenceo Health adaptationo Improving health through mitigation (co-benefits)

4. Strengthening health systems

World Health Organisationwww.who.int/globalchange/climate/en

Getinformed

Climate and Health Councilwww.climateandhealth.org

Sign the declaration and contribute to the five actions

The Climate Connectionwww.theclimateconnection.org

Build partnerships, share evidence, experience and ideas

Summary

2009 is a crucial year for international negotiations on climate change with the Copenhagen post-Kyoto negotiations in December. Public health has an important contribution:o advocacy for radical actiono communicate value of co-benefitso advise on health impacts of adaptation &

mitigation policies

The Climate Connection, c/o UKPHA, 94 White Lion St, London N1 9PFUKPHA registered charity number 1078147

www.theclimateconnection.org

The Climate Connection is a partnership for public health action on climate change