UKHACC Bulletin February 2024
Global heating has exceeded 1.5℃ across an entire year for the first time in 2023. But there is still hope to achieve the commitments made in the Paris Agreement. Elections are taking place in many countries worldwide throughout this year, providing an opportunity for people concerned about the planet and their health to speak up and call on their representatives to deliver urgent and meaningful action to mitigate and adapt to the climate and nature crises.
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News and updates
Our manifesto for the UK general election
The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change manifesto highlights five priorities for the UK general election:
- End fossil fuel dependency
- Ensure a healthy environment
- Transform the food system
- Meet international commitments
- Transform health and care services
Support for health professionals: A template letter
Health professionals who find themselves facing disciplinary action for taking direct action on the climate and nature crisis are invited to use this template letter of support written by Dr Richard Smith, Chair of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change.
BMJ Commission on the Future of the NHS
The BMJ has launched a commission on the future of the NHS that seeks to create a vision for a society that prioritises outcomes related to health and wellbeing with the NHS at the heart of it. The first editorial in the series has been published with a final report available over the next few months. Find out more here.
Net Zero Clinical Care Key Summaries Report
The ‘Key Summaries Report’ on the Net Zero Clinical Care Conference 2023 which was jointly organised by the BMJ and UKHACC last year has now been published. It can be accessed here.
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Have your say
Survey: Food procurement within the NHS
The Sustainability Partnerships is developing a report that offers a comprehensive look into NHS England’s progress on its journey toward sustainable food procurement. For this, they are requesting your valuable input through a survey to gain insights into your Trust’s status in terms of food procurement and its alignment with the broader mission of achieving a net-zero NHS. The survey can be accessed here.
Petition: Calling on the WHO to declare the climate and nature crisis as a global health emergency
Following the publication of an editorial in 300 health journals globally, coordinated by the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, a petition has been launched to strengthen the call on the WHO to declare the climate and nature crisis as a global health emergency. You can sign the petition here to show your support leading to the World Health Assembly in May 2024. Please also share it through your networks.
Write to your MP to back the Climate and Ecology BillZero Hour has launched a ‘Write to your MP’ tool to tell your future MP that you want your local area to be healthier, happier, and more sustainable by tackling the climate & nature crisis. Ask them to back the Climate & Ecology Bill here.
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Opportunities/Get involved
NHS Chief Sustainability Officer’s Clinical Fellow Scheme
The scheme offers clinicians with a passion for sustainability a unique opportunity to develop their leadership skills and support the NHS to realise its net zero ambitions. Applications are open to all health professionals from England until the 27th of March 2024. More details are available here.
2024 European Sustainable Healthcare Awards
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe is organising these awards to recognise sustainability projects and individuals who are making a real difference in reducing the environmental impact of healthcare activities in the WHO Europe region. The applications are open until 15 March 2024. More details are available here.
The Big Plastic Count
The UK’s biggest investigation into household plastic waste, jointly organised by Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic, is a huge opportunity to pressure the government to turn off the plastic tap once and for all. Join to count your plastic for one week (11-17 March 2024) and report it.
Show the Love by the Climate Coalition
Every action we take to protect nature and tackle climate change is a story that can inspire others. Share yours to get involved and ‘Show the Love’. The Climate Coalition has prepared a short film showcasing the public mandate for climate action.
Articles for new Climate and Health series by JAMA
The new JAMA Insights series on climate change and human health is providing practical information about climate change and its relationship to changes in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human disease. More information and submission guidelines can be found here.
Sign up for the Coolfood Pledge
The Coolfood Pledge, an initiative by the UN Environment Programme, Healthcare without Harm and others, is looking for more European healthcare facilities to sign on to the pledge and reduce the climate impact of food to improve human health. Participating hospitals will receive detailed feedback on their food-related emissions, as well as ideas and best practices to reduce these emissions. Sign up here.
Healthy peatlands, healthy wildlife, healthy peoplePeatlands contribute to the climate and nature crises and people’s health in several ways. Healthy peatlands can protect homes from flooding, provide cleaner air and filter 70% of our water, meaning less processing. Plus, they’re beautiful places to exercise and enjoy. Find out more here about this campaign by the Wildlife Trusts.
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Events
15 March | Online
28 years of COP: what does it mean for action on climate change and the role of public health?
The Faculty of Public Health is hosting this webinar where Dr Maria Neira (WHO) and a distinguished panel will discuss the COP process and what it means for future action on climate and health. Register here.
21 March | Online
Plant-Based Diets and Type 2 Diabetes
Join this webinar hosted by Plant-Based Health Professionals UK to understand how plant-based diets can help to prevent and treat the cause of type 2 diabetes as explained by Claire Lynch, a Registered Dietitian. More details are available here.
8-16 June | Various locations
Great Big Green Week
Organised by the Climate Coalition the ‘Great Big Green Week’ will take place between 8th and 16th June 2024. It 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 today.
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New resources
Local Intelligence Hub
The Climate Coalition developed the Local Intelligence Hub in partnership with mySociety and Green Alliance. Anyone can access the free library of live data about local MPs, political candidates, constituencies, and people and groups who are already taking action on the climate and nature crises.
Reproductive justice and the climate emergency in the UK
A new paper from Birth Companions and Wen (Women’s Environmental Network) looks at the implications of the climate emergency for reproductive justice in the UK. The full paper and the one-page summary can be downloaded here.
WHO European Region: Personal-level actions to reduce air pollution exposure
A new publication by the WHO European Region summarises the evidence and provides practical advice on actions at a personal level to reduce exposure to air pollution. The guidance document can be accessed here.
Climate Visuals Library: Air pollution
Clean Air Fund and Climate Outreach have launched a new collection of free photos to authentically represent air pollution and the communities most impacted by dirty air. The photos are available here for free for non-profit, educational and editorial use.
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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.
- This BMJ article by Elaine Mulcahy discusses why it is ‘Time to turn the oil and gas taps off, not on’.
- Read ‘Planetary Health: A Global Health Emergency Under International Law?’ to understand the legal aspects of declaring the climate and nature crises a global health emergency.
- Read this article to find out what the role of finance is in driving down NHS carbon emissions.
- Watch this CarbonBrief analysis showing which countries are historically responsible for carbon emissions.
- The health community must build on commitments from COP28 to deliver healthy outcomes for all, write Jess Beagkey, Shweta Narayan, and Sarah Whitmee
- This article shows that climate change perception impacts mental health.
Please share
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think might be interested. Anyone can sign up to receive this newsletter by clicking this link: https://action.ukhealthalliance.org/page/69209/subscribe/1
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 15 March 2024