The climate and nature crisis is a public health emergency that needs an urgent response. Our manifesto for the next general election presents five priorities for the new government to sustain our health, health and care services, and environment. We ask that parties incorporate these commitments into their manifestos.
1. End fossil fuel dependency
- A rapid, just transition to clean energy, meaning that everyone benefits from the transition
- Elimination of government subsidies, investments, and new licences for fossil fuel exploration, extraction, and sales
- Increased investment in and subsidies for renewable energy
- Policies that reduce energy demand, including insulation of homes and public buildings and improved public transport
2. Ensure a healthy environment
- Affordable, environmentally-friendly housing for all
- Improved, affordable public transport
- Planning that makes walking and cycling easy and safe
- Access to green spaces for everybody within a 15-minute walk of their home
- Protected waterways and improved access to safe blue space
3. Transform the food system
- A public awareness campaign promoting healthy diets high in plant-based foods, reduced consumption of red and processed meat and dairy products, and a reduction in waste
- Support for farmers to transition to sustainable practices through subsidies and regulation of the local food sector
- Healthy food to be readily available and affordable
4. Meet international commitments
- The UK to meet existing financial commitments
- Develop innovative ways to increase financial investments to support climate and ecological action through public/private sector partnerships
5. Transform health and care services
- Significant investment in public health and integration with health and care services to benefit health, care, and the environment. Policies are needed to promote clean air, active travel, healthy diets, and easy access to green and blue spaces to prevent ill health and reduce pressures on health and care services
- Improved access and use of green space on the NHS estates
- Funding for green social prescribing
- Funding of and appointment of staff throughout health and social care to lead on decarbonisation
- Capital investment to decarbonise health and social care buildings and estates
- Acceleration of the zero-emissions ambulance fleet from the current goal of 2036 to 2030
- Plans to dramatically reduce waste from care services, including avoiding single-use items wherever possible
- Increased attention to adapting community health and care services to the effects of the climate and nature crisis
- Healthy largely plant-based foods for all patients and staff in care settings
- Annual audited public reporting of the carbon footprint of community health and care services
- Policies to drive the cultural and societal shift needed to secure a healthier, more sustainable way of life
House of Lords briefing session
30+ health leaders letter to candidates
Consensus statement on heat health resilience
Write to your political candidate
Local Intelligence Hub
Political engagement workshop
Ride for their Lives
Clean Air Day petition
