The Lancet, the world’s oldest and best known Medical Review Journal, published an executive summary of the report of its commission calling for emergency actions to tackle the climate health crisis.
The Lancet report was a unique European, Chinese collaborative effort involving experts in the fields of climate, social, political, and environmental science, geography, biodiversity and energy policy, engineering, economics, law and health.
These experts confirmed the link between health, economies, energy generation and climate change. Margaret Chan, President of the World Heath Organization, quotes from a study by the International Monetary Fund that identified the costs of sickness and injury resulting directly and indirectly from the fossil fuel energy sector to be 5.3 trillion dollars in 2015. (A truly staggering amount!)
Lancet has analyzed the health impacts of climate change before. In 2009 it warned that climate change is the biggest threat to human health in the 21st century. Unfortunately this connection has not been made as strongly as required to protect human health from the ravages of climate change.
We may find technical terms such as albedo and climate forcing difficult to grasp. Yet we instinctively understand that droughts, heat waves and crop failures demonstrate how climate change has and will affect the health of everyone on the planet.
As Paris 2015 (COP 21) approaches, more mainstream health organizations are making the connections not only between the risks to human health but as well the connections between potential health benefits that would spin off if we start to reengineer our cities, transportation and food production to create low carbon solutions.
The Lancet report is a timely reminder of the serious health effects of climate change.
Contributed by Georgina Wilcock, M.D.
Next Week: The Solutions
