18th April 2025
One of the driest Marches in decades and higher than average April temperatures across the UK has resulted in a huge rise in wildfires across the country in the last week. The National Trust reported that whole ecosystems have been decimated and a huge loss of surface vegetation has left peat bogs vulnerable to erosion and further risk of fire and carbon loss. In Scotland an extreme wildfire warning was issued across the whole country with fires burning in the North, East, South and West resulting in smoke impacting the air quality, hills closed to walkers and risk to life. Thankfully, most fires have now stopped burning but it is another reminder of our changing climate and the urgency with which we need to prepare.
News and updates
Health leaders call on Wes Streeting to oppose Rosebank
In a letter coordinated by the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, almost thirty senior health leaders from across multiple different areas of healthcare have written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care calling on him to oppose the potential re-approval of the Rosebank oilfield due to the significant risk it would bring to health.
NHS solar panels programme
In welcome news, Great British Energy has announced a £209.3 million investment to enable the installation of solar panels on the rooves of NHS sites and schools across the UK with an aim to cut costs and carbon and reduce dependency on the uncertain energy market.
UKHACC seeking a new Chair
The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change is seeking applications from individuals with a passion for health and motivated by action to protect people from the threat of climate change and nature loss to take on the role of Chair in September 2025. Find out more here.
Have your say
Oil and gas consultation
The UK Government has opened a consultation on Building the North Sea’s Energy Future. The consultation aims to support the delivery of the government’s commitment not to issue new oil and gas exploration licences, to influence its approach to new oil and gas developments, and to ensure there is a proper plan in place for a transition to clean energy. This moment presents a huge opportunity to influence the government’s approach to transition away from oil and gas to clean energy. The deadline for submissions is 30 April 2025. It is important that the views of health organisations are represented – Uplift has produced this very helpful briefing to support organisations responding to the consultation.
Oil and gas petition
The consultation mentioned above also invites submissions from the general public. In order to demonstrate huge public opposition to new oil and gas, Uplift is coordinating seven organisations running a petition which it will submit as a collective tally to the consultation on behalf of the public. The tally has already exceeded 700,000 signatures. You can add yours here.
Ask the government to stop promoting meat and dairy
Add your name to this petition calling on the UK government to stop promoting meat and dairy and instead, to help meet net zero targets and national food guidelines by promoting plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes.
Opportunities/Get involved
Join the health sector call for clean air – 19 June 2025
This year’s Clean Air Day (19 June 2025) will focus on amplifying voices across the health sector to highlight the serious health impacts of air pollution and call for urgent action to clean up our air. With the UK government recently committing to review its air quality targets, we have a crucial opportunity to ensure those targets are ambitious enough and ensure everyone can breathe clean air. There are a number of opportunities to get involved:
- Join the London ‘Walk & Wheel’ to Parliament: Great Ormond Street Hospital and Global Action Plan are organising a walk and wheel from the hospital to Parliament Square on 19 June to deliver a letter from the health community calling for more action from the UK government on clean air. Contact catherine.kenyon@globalactionplan.org.uk if your organisation would like to get involved
- Add your voice to the joint health sector letter: In May, a letter calling for more ambitious air pollution targets will be circulated for health professionals and groups to to sign and share with networks – watch this space
- Take part in UK-wide Clean Air Day event: The campaign will also be encouraging and supporting local events and health sector walks across the country.
Save the date – Unite for People, Climate and Nature in 2025
This year, we want to show MPs just how many people care about protecting people, climate and nature. That’s why we’re inviting you to save the date for 9 July – a day when thousands of people from every corner of the UK will come together in Westminster to meet MPs and call for them to leave behind a legacy of action for people, climate and nature. Look out for more details coming soon.
Great Big Green Week 2025 7-15 June 2025
Join one million people who are swapping together for good with #GreatBigGreenWeek. From friends and neighbours swapping skills across generations, to businesses swapping waste for circular solutions, every swap creates stronger communities and a better future. Get involved by sharing your stories of what communities of health professionals to swap together for good. Get involved: https://www.greatbiggreenweek.com/get_involved #LetsSwapTogetherForGood
Help shape guidance on extreme heat for primary care
The UK Health Security Agency’s Centre for Climate and Health Security (CCHS) is seeking primary care professionals to help improve its extreme heat guidance resources which are designed to help them to reduce the health impacts of adverse weather on their patients.
Primary care professionals working in General Practice are invited to participate in a short
online interview in which they can provide feedback on:
- their experiences of supporting patients during extreme heat events
- views on our current products, for example the Heat-Health alert action card for health and social care providers (if applicable), and
- information on what extreme heat guidance (including content, format, platform etc) they would find beneficial.
The initial round of interviews will be held on 30 April, and 1, 7, 8 May. If you cannot make these dates or commit to an interview, we would still like to receive feedback via email so please get in touch. Please contact Florence Lock via extremeevents@ukhsa.gov.uk if you would like to be involved, or have any other feedback or questions.
Job opportunity: Client Earth UK Public Affairs and Communications
Great role for a public affairs and communications professional interested in driving UK strategy at the intersection of law, climate, nature and corporate accountability by shaping clear and compelling policy strategies, engaging with UK policymakers, and the media. Closing date for applications is 28 April. Find out more.
Events and courses
6 May 2025 18.00-18.00 | Online
Report launch: Enabling Climate and Health Resilience
Launch of the Climate and Health Coalitions report that provides businesses with a roadmap to integrate climate action and health equity into their core strategies, unlocking long-term value while improving public health outcomes and strengthening community resilience. Register here.
14 May 2025 14.00-16.00 (CEST) | Online
Towards national food policies in the EU that support sustainable and healthy consumption
Drawing on a policy paper “Towards food policies that support sustainable and healthy consumption – country case studies and the role of the EU” by the think tanks Agora Agriculture and IDDRI, this webinar discusses the potential of demand-side policies for healthier and more sustainable consumption patterns. Register here.
16 May 2025 9.00-16.00 | University of Strathlyde
Realistic Medicine Annual Conference
Promoting Realistic Medicine as the way to deliver care in Scotland, this event will provide an opportunity to celebrate success, share best practice, and provide a collaborative forum to discuss challenges. Find out more.
16-17 July 2025 | QEII Centre, London (free event)
Global Climate and Health Summit
This summit organised by The Physiological Society and supported by Wellcome will convene researchers, policymakers and climate experts to tackle the health challenges posed by climate change. The summit is free to attend with travel support available to early career researchers, and enhanced support for those in low- and middle-income countries. Find out more.
16-18 July 2025 | University of Leeds
Forum on scenarios on climate and societal futures
An influential multi-disciplinary conference organised by the Priestly Centre for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds, dedicated to advancing the use of socioeconomic scenarios in addressing some of the most complex and interconnected challenges of our time. Find out more.
CPDMatch: Climate change education for the healthcare industry
CPDmatch is a not-for-profit website for healthcare professionals, employing organisations and supplier industries to find the educational resources required to deliver net zero sustainable healthcare and become confident in communicating and inspiring others to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. More information is available here.
New resources
Your place at the table: How community dining is having a positive impact on diet, health and the planet
This report by the British Nutrition Foundation and FoodCycle investigates whether attendance at FoodCycle community meals (where surplus food is turned into nutritious three-course meals for members of the local community) encourages people to try new, healthier and more sustainable foods and meals. Check it out.
Greener Pharmacy Toolkit
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has launched a pioneering digital assessment tool to help community and hospital pharmacy teams take practical action to reduce the environmental impact of pharmacy services, pharmaceutical care and medicines, while supporting patient care. The RPS Greener Pharmacy Toolkit is easy to use and provides prompts to introduce more sustainable practices to reduce emissions, improve patient care, prevent ill health, tackle medicines waste and achieve efficiency savings.
Advancing and integrating climate change and health policies
The global report and individual country reports from a major study involving interviews with 225 leading policy stakeholders in six countries/regions: Brazil, the Caribbean, Germany, Kenya, UK, and US, provides insights into the current state of climate and health policy integration, barriers to further integration, and opportunities and strategies to overcome barriers.
Nitrous oxide toolkit: Reducing waste in NHS Trusts
NHS England and UCLPartners have created a comprehensive toolkit to help NHS trusts reduce waste from piped nitrous oxide and nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture gas delivery systems. The toolkit includes case studies, implementation resources and guidance for Trusts to significantly reduce waste, emissions, and money.
Articles, podcasts, and videos
We’ve pulled together a list of recent articles, podcasts and videos worth reading, watching, listening and sharing.
- In HUGE news, Greener by Default announced an expansion of its partnership with the Sodexo Food Group to extend the plant-based patient meals program to all US hospitals under their management – that’s plant-based meals being rolled out in 400 US hospitals.
- This episode of the Right Chamber explores the critical link between procurement and sustainability in the NHS with Clare Nash and Ninette Harris.
- This piece by UKHACC Ambassador David Pencheon, Chair Richard Smith and Director Elaine Mulcahy sets out nine proposals for improving NHS Green Plan guidance
- Taking strong action to tackle the climate crisis will increase countries’ economic growth, rather than damage their finances as critics of net zero policies have claimed, according to a new report from the OECD.
- This blog reports on learning from a conference at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologosists where the risks of extreme heat for pregnant women were discussed.
- This in-depth coverage by Carbon Brief provides details on a new set of policies agreed by countries to drive the global shopping sector to net-zero, including financial penalties for ships that fail to cut their emissions from 2028.
- This interview by Hope for the Future with councillor Ed Lamb highlights the importance of community involvement as a driving force for climate and nature initiatives, and building positive relationships with politicians.
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