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London, November 28, 2018: – Following the publication of the second Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change In its report, the Global Climate and Health Alliance called on world leaders to take the necessary steps to limit global warming to the goals set by the Paris Agreement, by taking into account the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouse by 2020 that will limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
"The Lancet Countdown The report is strikingly reminiscent of the health implications of the population if we continue to procrastinate about climate change, "said Jeni Miller, executive director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, an international coalition of health organizations. health and development. " In a week, it is crucial that world leaders not only honor their national commitments under the first phase of the Paris Agreement, but commit themselves resolutely to the implementation of these commitments by 2020 ".
The Lancet Countdown provides a clear and disappointing account of humanity's journey – and has not been – to face the greatest health threat of the twenty-first century. The findings on heat stress presented in this year's report suggest a bewildering impact on worker productivity, heat waves and higher average temperatures costing 153 billion productive hours (equivalent to 3.2 billion weeks of work) in 2017, which would have the effect of reducing family incomes and agricultural production. health risks.
"This year's report shows that climate change is already exposing hundreds of millions of people to extremely high temperatures," said Kim Perrotta, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). ).
"The phasing out of fossil fuels and other measures to mitigate climate change are essential to prevent significantly greater global warming and significantly greater heat damage," said M Miller.
According to the Lancet Countdown report, crop yield has registered a measured decline in 30 countries due to global warming, raising concerns about malnutrition in some areas. The risks of dengue, Vibrio and malaria have increased significantly. And the increase in extreme weather events, which reached 712 events in 2017, resulting in economic losses of US $ 326 billion, result in injuries and deaths, displacement, post-traumatic stress and death. other short- and long-term health impacts. Climate change is also at the origin of migration, with significant geopolitical impacts.
"Many hospitals and health systems, cities and countries are working hard to adapt to these changes, but if national governments do not take strong measures to reduce carbon emissions, change climate change will rapidly exceed any adaptive capacity to protect the health of the population, "continued Miller. . "We do not see this action yet."
Although 197 parties signed the Paris agreement from the UN climate talks in 2015, many countries still do not meet their initial commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. and these initial commitments are well below what is needed to limit global warming to less than 1.5 to 2.0 degrees Celsius, as agreed in Paris.
Delaying action not only puts people's health at risk from climate change, but also misses major opportunities for improving short-term health through climate action. Seven million people a year die prematurely from air pollution, which causes respiratory diseases and cancer, heart attacks, strokes and low birth weight (1). The quality of the air has deteriorated in 70% of the world's cities in 2017. It is estimated that the health benefits To mitigate the effects of climate change and reach the ambition of 1.5 degree set in Paris, it would not be sufficient to pay the cost of this mitigation, simply by reducing atmospheric pollution (2).
"Air pollution is the main environmental threat to people's health and one of the top five risk factors for chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and asthma," said Genon K. Jensen, executive director of the Health and Environment Alliance HEAL, a founder of GCHA and a member of the board of directors. "Global leaders speaking out on the fight against climate change would give a major boost to air quality and disease prevention by taking into account the recommendations of the Lancet Countdown Countdown."
"The continued burning of fossil fuels can no longer be justified in any country, and all countries must look for ways to transition to forms of energy that do not lead to climate change and toxic air pollution. both of which have such devastating effects on people's lives Fiona Armstrong, executive director of the Australian Alliance for Climate and Health. "My own country, Australia, shamefully ignores the disaster that is brewing while he continues to extract and export coal. "
"The Countdown report demonstrates the significant and immediate health benefits that can be achieved by phasing out coal plants around the world and transforming transportation systems in countries like Canada," added Perrotta. Indeed, the Lancet Countdown indicates that the removal of coal is a "crucial intervention with no regrets for public health".
Health sector strives to do its part: "The health sector is increasingly engaged in the fight against climate change, is striving to reduce its substantial carbon footprint, is preparing for extreme weather events and advocates for policies that will save the world from relying on fossil fuels, and feeds and protects public health from the impacts of climate change, "said Josh Karliner, international co-director of Health Care Without Harm. In September, health organizations from around the world, representing more than five million health professionals and 1,700 hospitals and health systems, launched a Call for action on climate change and health. "Doctors, nurses, public health workers and health facilities around the world are joining forces to fight climate change, as well as many other sectors of society, to call on all local and national governments to take action measures to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "
The countdown Lancet, and the last month Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC SR1.5) before, as well as Fourth National Climate Assessment in the United States, vol. II, released last week, crystallizes this point: Urgent and aggressive action to switch from fossil fuels to a low-carbon global economy is essential to prevent millions of deaths in the next century. National governments must mobilize to bring about the socially necessary transformations that are urgently needed.
"We can not let the hard truths presented in the Lancet countdown, and the reports of the IPCC and UNCED on the national climate, become an excuse for the delay, the transition to a carbon-neutral world and the future of climate change. Climate change mitigation could be largely cost-effective, saving millions of lives and protecting ourselves and our children and their children, "concluded Miller. "The Lancet countdown is clear: our future is in our hands."
About the Lancet Countdown:
Lancet Countdown 2018 Report on Health and Climate Change: Shaping the Health of Nations for the Centuries to Come was compiled through the collaboration of leading research institutions and international agencies. The initiative follows 41 indicators in several areas in order to provide a comprehensive overview of progress in the fight against climate change and health protection, providing each year a detailed report.
The report calculates that the impact of heat has reduced employee productivity, causing workers and economies a loss of 153 billion hours of work last year due to heat (l & rsquo; Equivalent of 3.4 billion work weeks), an increase of 62 billion hours compared to 2000. Loss of productive capacity is the largest in the agricultural sector and in already vulnerable regions . The exposure to a rise in temperature is increasing worldwide. Europe and the Mediterranean are particularly vulnerable and pose a significant risk to people over 65 years old.
The countdown follows a special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Global warming of 1.5 ° C. A special IPCC report on global warming impacts of 1.5 ° C compared to pre-industrial levels and related greenhouse gas emission pathways, which clearly states the health implications if we fail to heat to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In simple terms, humanity is not yet taking the measures that are required to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.
ENDS
Remarks:
The Lance report can be downloaded from The Lancet Countdown website: Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change
- World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/air-pollution/news-and-events/how-air-pollution-is-destroying-our-health
- Markandya A., J. Sampedro, Smith SJ et al. The health benefits of air pollution and the mitigation costs of the Paris Agreement: a modeling study. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(18)30029-9/fulltext
- J. Rogelj, D. Shindell, K. Jiang, S. Fifita, P. Forster, V. Ginzburg, C. Handa, H. Kheshgi, S. Kobayashi, E. Kriegler, L. Mundaca, R. Seferian, MV Vilariño , 2018, Mitigation channels compatible with a temperature of 1.5 ° C in the context of sustainable development. In: Global warming of 1.5 ° C. IPCC Special Report on the effects of global warming of 1.5 ° C compared to pre-industrial levels and associated greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty [V. Masson-Delmotte, P. Zhai, H. O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J. B. R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M. I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, T. Waterfield (eds.)]. In the press
- Watts N et al. 2018 Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change: Shaping the health of nations for centuries to come.
contacts:
Jeni Miller, Executive Director, + 1-510-409-2456 [[email protected]][email protected][/email]
Dave Walsh, Media Advisor +34 691 826 764, [[email protected]][email protected][/email]
About the Global Alliance for Climate and Health
The Global Climate and Health Alliance was created in Durban in 2011 to fight climate change and protect and promote public health.
The Alliance is made up of health and development organizations from around the world, united by a shared vision of a fair and sustainable future. Our vision is a world in which the impacts of climate change on health are minimized and the associated benefits of mitigating climate change for health are maximized.
Specifically, Alliance members work together to:
- Ensure that health impacts are integrated into global, regional, national and local climate change policy responses, to minimize them as much as possible, with a particular focus on reducing health inequalities through the use of climate change. mitigation and adaptation;
- Encourage and support the health sector to set an example by mitigating the effects of climate change and adapting to them;
- Raise awareness about the health threats posed by climate change and the potential health benefits of well-chosen climate change mitigation policies in areas such as energy, transportation, food and housing.
On December 8th, the Alliance will host the 2018 Congress World Summit on Climate and Health alongside international climate negotiations. The event is organized in collaboration with the World Health Organization, the European Committee of the Regions and the Pro Silesia Association. The annual health summit is a key event to advance health-focused action, engagement and collaboration in the fight against climate change.
Learn more …
Global Alliance for Climate and Health
http://www.climateandhealthalliance.org/
@GCHAlliance
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