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  3. Our priorities for the UK governments

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  2. Influencing policy
  3. Our priorities for the UK governments

Our priorities for the UK governments

Five priorities to sustain our health, health and care services, and environment

Our manifesto for the Scottish Government election

We call for strong action to reduce emissions, improve health, and build resilience

Our manifesto for the Welsh Government election

We call on all parties to commit to a sustainable, healthier and more equal Wales

The climate and nature crisis is a public health emergency that needs an urgent response. Our manifesto for the UK government presents five priorities to sustain our health, health and care services, and environment.

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

Political engagement

House of Lords briefing session

A briefing on the essential links between health, climate change and nature with Peers for the Planet

30+ health leaders letter to candidates

Co-signed letter to candidates of all parties outlining our priorities for the next government

Consensus statement on heat health resilience

Partnering with The Physiological Society in making the case for action on heat resilience