eBulletin15th November 2024
The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) commenced this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, amid unprecedented climate challenges. As the conference got underway, the World Meteorological Organization reported that 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record with temperatures exceeding 1.5°C, a critical limit set by the Paris Agreement to mitigate severe climate impacts. The biodiversity COP16 held before the climate COP ended on 2 November in “disarray” without reaching a consensus on nature finance or monitoring of targets. Climate finance for developing nations and strengthening national commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are also set to be a focus of negotiations at COP29 and must deliver a better outcome.
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News and updates
Letter to the Mayor of London: Transform London into a predominantly plant-based city
The UKHACC has called on Mayor Sadiq Khan to lead a transformation in London, advocating for the city to adopt a predominantly plant-based food policy. The proposal urges making plant-based meals the default option in public catering, allowing citizens to opt in for meat and dairy. This initiative, aimed at advancing public health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, highlights the environmental and economic benefits of plant-based diets, which could help reduce obesity-related diseases, lessen NHS strain, and attract investments. Read the letter here.
Letter to the Secretary of State: Prioritise health at COP29
Health leaders across the UK have written to the Secretary of State, Ed Miliband, urging governments to prioritise health in climate discussions. The letter highlights the severe health impacts of climate change, including excess deaths and diseases linked to extreme weather and pollution. And it calls for the UK government to lead by example in phasing out fossil fuels, investing in renewable energy, and fulfilling international climate commitments to address the escalating health crisis driven by global warming. The letter can be accessed here.
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Have your say
Call to action: Get MPs to vote for the CAN Bill at its second reading
Ask your MP to support the Climate and Nature Bill as it progresses through Parliament and nears a crucial stage—its second reading—on Friday 24 January 2025. At least 102 MPs need to attend the second reading and vote in support of the CAN Bill to ensure it continues to the next (committee) stage. Ask your MP to support the bill here.
Write to your MP: Demanding Support for Close-Knit Communities
A campaign by the Low Traffic Future Alliance is calling for close-knit communities which would provide huge benefits: cleaner air, safer and less congested streets, communities where people know their neighbours, where children can play outdoors, and where people can use cars when needed without having to own them. Close-knit communities have the potential to reduce the costs of living and to the NHS while helping us achieve a net zero future. Write to your MP using this template.
Sign the open letter from health workers to the Secretary of State for energy and housing
An open letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is calling for political action to improve the quality of our homes, ensure everyone has access to the basic right to energy, and energy security that relies on clean and affordable renewable energy. Read the letter here and add your name to it. The letter is being coordinated by Medact.
Sign this petition: Run a public information campaign on the climate crisis
The science regarding climate change is clear, and politicians and media need to stop treating it as a matter of opinion. With an abundance of climate misinformation campaigns on social media and other platforms, it is high time for the government to take responsibility and run a public information campaign regarding the anthropogenic nature of climate change. Sign this petition to support such a campaign that would help reduce people’s confusion, anxiety and resistance to change.
Sign the open letter from health professionals on the plastics treaty
Over 6 million health professionals urge plastics treaty negotiators to protect the planet and people in an open letter. As negotiations are progressing for the Plastics Treaty (INC-5) in late November, your support to grow the number of signatories to showcase momentum for a treaty that incorporates a strong health-centred approach is necessary. You can read the letter here and click here to add your signature.
Consultation: 10-Year Health Plan for England
NHS England is consulting individuals and organisations to develop the 10-Year Health Plan for England. They are seeking your views, experiences and evidence to build a health service fit for the future. This is an opportunity to embed sustainability even more strongly within the core health service plan and make the NHS resilient to the climate crisis. The deadline is 2 December 2024. More information is available here.
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Opportunities/Get involved
Call for interviewees and case studies on climate adaptation and health
The UKHACC is seeking people willing to be interviewed or provide case studies to help inform a policy report on climate adaptation and health. Individuals willing to be interviewed who will help identify key issues, opportunities, barriers and facilitators in creating a resilient NHS equipped to tackle climate-related challenges. More information is available here.
Call for evidence: Mental health and climate change in the UK
The UK Health Security Agency is inviting submissions of case studies which demonstrate the provision of mental health intervention in relation to climate change and extreme weather events. The case studies gathered through this exercise will help to inform UKHSA’s thematic report detailing the impacts of climate change on mental health in the UK and increase the evidence base around interventions for mental health in relation to climate change. This call for evidence closes at 11:59 pm on 17 January 2025. More information is available here.
Call for submissions: Special Issue on Climate Change and Health
Oxford Open Climate Change is inviting submissions for a new special collection “Health in a Changing Climate”. Whether your research targets local health clinics or transnational health policies, investigates the impacts of climate change on health, or looks at interventions around these impacts, various research scopes and scales, submissions are welcome. Submissions from early-career researchers, research targeting regions most affected by climate change and ‘outside-the-box’ scholarly work are encouraged. Submit your contribution by 31 January 2025 (deadline extended) and be a part of shaping the future of low-carbon, climate-resilient health systems. Further details are available here.
Call for submissions: BMJ Leader Topic Collection on Planetary Health Leadership
This topic collection aims to synthesise key dimensions of leadership for planetary health in the healthcare context, offering evidence-based international insights and diverse perspectives on leading with a focus on people and the planet. This editorial further explains the importance of this topic collection. Submissions will be accepted from 1 January 2025 until 31 March 2025. Details regarding the submission process are available here.
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Events & Courses
EVENTS
19 November | Online
Putting health at the centre of our response to climate change
This talk will cover the latest findings of the Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change, a UCL-led project bringing together over 300 researchers from around the globe. It will present emerging opportunities to reduce health inequities and deliver a thriving future through a health-centred response to climate change. Register here.
COURSES
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.
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New resources
New Report: The 2024 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown
The 2024 Lancet Countdown report reveals the health threats of climate change have reached record-breaking levels. The report tracks the relationship between health and climate change across five key domains and 56 indicators, providing the most up-to-date assessment of the links between health and climate change. Read the report here.
Policy Brief & Country Datasheet: The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change UK 2024
The UKHACC has developed the Lancet Countdown UK policy brief, created in collaboration with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Nursing, the British Medical Association, and the UK Kidney Association. The brief highlights three critical priorities for the UK: reducing air pollution, protecting populations from extreme heat, and advancing a low-carbon, climate-resilient healthcare sector. Download the report and country datasheet here.
WHO COP29 Special Report on Climate Change and Health: Health is the argument for climate action
This report outlines priority actions from the global health community for governments, policy-makers, and other sectors to place health at the heart of climate solutions. Developed by the WHO with over 100 organisations and 300 experts, this report emphasizes health as the definitive argument for climate action. Read the report here.
New report: A COP29 for People and Planet – Recommendations from the international
health and climate community
Members of the international health and climate community, coordinated by the Global Climate and Health Alliance, have produced a 2024 report ‘A COP29 for People and Planet’ which outlines recommendations from the international health and climate community and calls upon Parties at COP29 to commit to and deliver ambitious climate action sufficient to protect and promote the health of people and the planet. Read the report here.
New Report: The Parliamentarians’ Guide to Climate Change
This publication by the University of Exeter and Peers for the Planet aims to provide authoritative scientific evidence and analysis to help guide politicians and decision-makers in this crucial decade for the delivery of our vital climate and nature targets. Access the publication here.
New Report: How can action to tackle climate change improve people’s health and save the NHS money?
A new report by the Grantham Institute outlines the opportunities to deliver climate and health benefits across key sectors including transport and housing. Against a backdrop of high levels of pressure on NHS services and a challenging economic outlook for the country, the briefing illustrates preventative health interventions that can help reduce the strain on the NHS while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Download the report here. It is accompanied by research findings about what the UK public thinks about policies that can deliver for climate and health. Access the research findings 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 analysis of the NHS England’s net zero annual report which summarises that even though the emissions have been reduced, the progress is slow compared to previous years.
- Read this case study by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health explaining how they developed their policy work focusing on health inequalities and climate change.
- This opinion piece makes compelling arguments on why we need to tackle the growing threat of misinformation about climate change and health.
- Read this article on the Dublin Declaration and how it failed to recognize the need to reduce industrial animal agriculture despite serious harm.
- This editorial published in the BMJ and the Lancet ahead of COP29 says the conference needs to stop stalling and start delivering meaningful action
- Read the in-depth analysis of the COP16 key outcomes by CarbonBrief.
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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 13 December 2024