eBulletin19th April 2024
This year’s World Health Day (7th April) theme “My health, my right” emphasised how the burning of fossil fuels is not only driving the climate crises but also depriving us of our right to breathe clean air, with air pollution claiming a life every 5 seconds. The European Court of Human Rights also recognised that climate inaction is a violation of human rights and this binding verdict can potentially influence law in 46 European countries (including the UK). More and more courts around the world are starting to recognise the health and equity impacts of the climate crises. These are big wins for climate and health policy advocacy.
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News and updates
Climate and Health Scorecard
The Climate and Health Scorecard initiative began with the aim to bring about justice-driven change within health organisations. With a primary focus on health professional bodies, they have now published the 2022-23 scorecard of participating royal colleges and faculty bodies. Faculty of Public Health (FPH) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) seem to be leading the way! The results can be viewed here.
Invest in our green spaces: Outcome from Urban Green Spaces inquiryThe UKHACC submitted evidence to the EFRA committee inquiry on urban green spaces last year. The outcome has been positive with the EFRA Committee arguing that green spaces should be a much higher priority, and calls for reforms and greater Government leadership to encourage more investment into and facilitation of green infrastructure. The letter by the committee addressed to DEFRA can be viewed here.
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Have your say
Climate and Nature Bill
In March, the Climate and Nature Bill (previously the Climate and Ecology Bill) was reintroduced to parliament by Labour MP Alex Sobel with cross-party backing. The content of the Bill is the same as the CE Bill. Over 180 MPs and peers are now supporting the Bill and 750 election candidates have pledged their support. We are supporting this campaign by the Zero Hour UK and encouraging individuals to ask their candidates to back the Bill.
Nature 2030 open letter and Restore Nature Now demonstrationOver 100 nature, health, planning and climate organisations have come together to support the Nature 2030 campaign, calling on all political parties to commit to the ambitious action needed to halt the decline of wildlife by 2030. The Nature 2030 campaign has five asks to: give farming for nature a pay rise; make polluters pay; create more space for nature; create more green jobs; and put a right to a healthy environment into law. You can show your support here.
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Opportunities/Get involved
UKHACC Ride for their Lives
Health professionals from across the UK are invited to join the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change Ride for their Lives on Sunday 9 June. The event is taking place during Great Big Green Week, a week-long celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. Our cycle will inspire people to see the benefits of swapping a car for a bike for the good of health and our environment and call on our election candidates to step up and play their part. We’re also encouraging participants to bring a book (preferably about climate change and/or nature) to swap on the day. Sign up here.
Invitation to join BMJ Net Zero Clinical Care
BMJ is inviting health professionals to be ‘Thought leadership partners’ for their new collaborative community BMJ Net Zero Clinical Care, which has evolved from the conference in 2023. The new community aims to build on the success of the conference by bringing together multiple partners to drive positive change in healthcare sustainability. BMJ Net Zero Clinical Care will produce a range of activities and content throughout the year, including webinars, videos, podcasts, and roundtables hosted on a content hub which can be accessed by healthcare professionals. Organisations interested in becoming a partner or wanting to find out more should contact Emily Houghton: ehoughton@bmj.com
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Events & Courses
EVENTS: Internal
8 May | 4 – 5.30 PM | Hybrid – BMA House, London
In Conversation with Lord Stevens: Architect of the Greener NHS Plan on the challenges of health and climate change
Jointly organised by the UKHACC and the BMJ, this in-conversation session between Richard Smith (Chair of the UKHACC) and Lord Simon Stevens (former Chief Executive of NHS England) on climate change and health, getting the NHS to net zero, and more. Questions will also be invited from the audience. Register for the event here.
EVENTS: External
23 April | Online
Launch of ‘Britain Talks Climate’ Toolkit
In the run-up to the next UK General Election, Climate Outreach and More in Common have carried out new research exploring people’s feelings and concerns around climate issues and policy. The evidence-based toolkit is designed to support any organisation in talking to the British people on climate change. Against a backdrop of growing concern about polarization, the toolkit identifies effective ways to engage the public. Sign up here.
24 April – 23 October | Online
WHO Climate Change and Health Technical Webinar Series 2024
The WHO is conducting a series of technical webinars on various climate change and health topics with the aim of building capacity for implementation at the country level. These webinars will integrate training, experience sharing, interactive activities and group discussion. Details on the webinar topics and registration can be found here.
29 April | Online
Joint Conference on Research Outputs
The Medical Research Council, Greener NHS at NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, have joined together to showcase a number of research projects that seek to find solutions for a more sustainable health research and healthcare sector that deliver environmental, efficiency, and financial savings as well as improving patient care. Sign up to attend.
2 May | King’s College London
Film Screening – I Could Never Go Vegan
A special screening of the documentary ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’ and an opportunity to meet the writer and members of the cast. More details and tickets are available here.
30-31 May | Hybrid – Inverness, Scotland
NHS Highland Medical Education Conference
NHS Highland is hosting a Medical Education conference with the theme of ‘Striving for Sustainability: Medical Education in a Climate of Change’. The conference is free and is accessible to all healthcare professionals with involvement or interest in education and sustainability. Register here.
8-16 June | UK
The Great Big Green Week
The Great Big Green Week organised by the Climate Coalition will see people across the country join together in a nationwide celebration of action to protect the planet. It will show that communities across the UK are making swaps every day to help create a better tomorrow – and now it’s time for politicians to step up and play their part. Click here to get involved.
3-5 July | Bristol, UK
Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) Summer Conference
The SAPC summer conference on ‘Sustainable Primary Care: Healthy Systems, Healthy People’ is open for registration. More information and options to buy tickets can be found here.
COURSES
How to Drive Sustainable Healthcare: Educate, Engage and Empower
Future Learn and University College London partnership has launched a 3-week online course that is free and open access. The content is relevant to all grades of health professionals, all specialities and all countries. The next facilitated sessions are between
3 May 2024 – 24 May 2024. More information and registration details are available here.
Plant-based nutrition course for health professionals
This 8-week course run by the University of Winchester is designed for health professionals who would like to incorporate evidence-based nutrition into routine clinical practice. It is fully CPD accredited. The next course start date for this year is 21 May. Registration details can be found here.
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New resources
Pathfinder Initiative Newsletter
In November 2023, the Pathfinder Initiative concluded its first phase of work with the publication of the Lancet Pathfinder Commission report on pathways to a healthy net-zero future. Subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated with the latest news from the Pathfinder Initiative.
Revisioning the public health system to tackle the climate and ecological crisis
A new report by the Faculty of Public Health summarises what UK public
health organisations are doing on the climate and ecological crisis, to understand gaps in
action, understand what is needed for a climate-resilient health system, and to identify
opportunities for organisations to work together effectively to maximise impact.
New Book: Being a Therapist in a Time of Climate Breakdown
This new book will enable therapists and mental health professionals across a range of modalities to engage with their own thoughts and feelings about climate breakdown and consider how it both changes and reinforces aspects of their therapeutic work. More details can be found here.
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Articles, podcasts and videos
We’ve pulled together a list of recent articles, podcasts and videos worth reading, watching, listening and sharing.
- Read this new analysis published in the BMJ on why Sustainability is critical for future-proofing the NHS
- This editorial in Nature discusses what happens when climate change and the mental health crisis collide and what actions need to be taken by different sectors.
- Read this BMJ Leader blog piece which questions whether our health institutions are prepared to do what it takes to deal with the climate crisis.
- A new position statement by the Faculty of Public Health describes the harms and inequitable health impacts associated with these fuels at every stage of their life cycle.
- Read this news piece on how a group of older Swiss women have won the first-ever climate case victory in the European Court of Human Rights.
- A similar verdict was reached by the Supreme Court in India where the Right against climate change was recognised as a fundamental human right.
- Watch this video to understand how to access air pollution data from Breathe London.
- Read this BMJ opinion piece on how we can progress toward sustainable healthcare by breaking silos and changing behaviours.
- Scotland bans wood-burning stoves in newly built homes from the beginning of this month.
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If you’ve got information about resources, campaigns, or events you would like to be included in the next edition, please send them to anandita.pattnaik@ukhealthalliance.org. The next bulletin will be published on 17 May 2024