Climate Change and Health: The Global Response 1 |1 | Climate Change and Health: The Global Response Dr. Maria Neira Director, Public Health and Environment.

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response1 |

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response

Dr. Maria NeiraDirector, Public Health and Environment

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response

Dr. Maria NeiraDirector, Public Health and Environment

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response2 |

Why do we need a global response?

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response3 |

Map of the mean temperature throughout the last 5 years, relative to average conditions for the period 1951-1980

Climate change is global

Based on data from NASA, 2009

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response4 |

It affects our largest global health problems

- Each year:

- Undernutrition kills 3.5 million

- Diarrhoea kills 2.2 million

- Malaria kills 900,000

- - Extreme weather events kill 60,000

These, and others, are highly sensitive to temperature and precipitation.

US CDC

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response5 |

Those most vulnerable did not cause the problem

Cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases, to 2002

WHO estimates of per capita mortality from climate change, 2000

WHO Comparative Risk Assessment estimated that by 2000, climate change that had occurred since the 1970s was causing over 150,000 additional deaths per year (WHO, 2002, McMichael et al 2004)

With impoverished populations in the developing world the first and

hardest hit, climate change is very likely to increase the number of preventable deaths. The gaps in health outcomes we are trying so

hard to address right now may grow even greater.

This is unacceptable.

Climate change and health: preparing for unprecedented challenges.

WHO Director General Margaret Chan.December, 2007

Map projections from Patz at al 2007; WHO 2008

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response6 |

What is the health community doing?

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response7 |

Climate change is rising on the global health agenda

In last two years:

WHO DG identifies as a top priority, and selects as theme for World Health Day 2008

193 countries endorse World Health Assembly resolution in 2008

WHO Regional Committees pass Resolutions and frameworks for action

2009 WHO Executive Board and WHA endorse WHO workplan

WHO/SEARO for World Health Day 2008

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response8 |

New engagement across the health community

Advocacy: Statements by Royal Colleges, Climate and Health Council, WMA, APHA, ICN…

Partnerships: More co-ordination across UN Agencies, Health engagement in cross-sectoral research and planning

Evidence: New global research agenda, new international collaborations

Strengthening Health Systems: Major pilot projects in 13 countries; Guidance and training resources

Lancet/UCL Commission, May 2008

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response9 |

Where is health in the climate change response?

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response10 |

State of global climate change negotiations

Science broadly settled, all nations agree that we need to respond

BUT: The benefits of reducing climate change are dispersed globally, and accrue over many decades

Nobody wants to take action and pay the costs, if others do not do their share

UN summit on Climate Change, September 2009

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response11 |

Health is central in the original UNFCCC

Health impacts often cited to justify GHG cuts

But….

Almost no health representation at UNFCCC

Very little health support through adaptation funds

GHG Mitigation measures take no account of health

Health is still low on the climate change radar

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response12 |

What can health bring to the climate change table?

Climate change and health

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response13 |

Strengthened action on diseases of poverty: Including wider coverage with vector control and vaccination programmes

Improved surveillance and response: E.g. heatwave warnings, compliance with International Health Regulations to prevent international spread of disease

Better management of environmental health determinants : Provision of safe water and sanitation, control of air pollution

WHO/SEARO 2008

A range of effective "adaptation" measures

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response14 |

The health profession is:

Big: Over 59 million health workers globally.

Uniquely well-respected: Present in almost every community in the world, united by a set of common values.

Doctor in Democratic Republic of Congo. WHO 2009

A large, well-respected, global community

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response15 |

"Health benefits from reduced air pollution as a result of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions… may offset a substantial fraction of mitigation costs" – IPCC, 2007

We have an opportunity to reduce:

The 1.2 million annual deaths from urban air pollution

The 2 million deaths from indoor air pollution

The 3.2 million deaths associated with physical inactivity

A positive, immediate and local argument for cutting greenhouse gas emission

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response16 |

What do we still need?

Health to be recognized as the "bottom line" of the response to climate change

Identification of the health sector as a priority for adaptation support from global to local level

Protection and promotion of health as a central criteria for supporting mitigation policies

Climate Change and Health: The Global Response17 |

More information:

World Health Organizationhttp://www.who.int/

Public Health and Environmenthttp://www.who.int/phe/en/

Global Environmental Changehttp://www.who.int/globalchange/

Climate Changehttp://www.who.int/globalchange/climate/