UK Health Alliance on Climate Change
The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change brings together doctors, nurses and other health professionals to advocate for responses to climate change that protect and promote public health.
Join our food, climate and health webinar
Food accounts for more than 25% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, but, until recently, most climate action has focused on re-thinking energy & transport.
To limit dangerous climate change, governments, organisations (including the NHS) and individuals will have to do far more to reduce the impact of the food we eat. In doing so we could simultaneously, and significantly, improve public health.
Register below to join Dr Richard Smith and our four guest speakers including Henry Dimbleby, Independent Lead of the National Food Strategy, and Kristin Bash, Chair of the Faculty of Public Health’s Food SIG, in a webinar to discuss this. We’ll be sharing the results of a new YouGov survey exploring clinicians’ support for change, and launching the Alliance’s new policy paper, including six recommendations for reforming our relationship with food.
Sign up to support
You can now register to receive email updates about our latest news and campaigns, and how you can support them.
Our Principles for a #HealthyRecovery
Coronavirus has shown the strength of the world’s united health community. But, as we come through this, it’s vital that we don’t lurch from one health crisis to another, driven by climate change and environmental degradation. The world needs is a #HealthyRecovery – one that improves human health, and builds resilience in health systems, and in the environment upon which our health depends.
In a collaboration between medical experts amongst our membership, and climate scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, we’ve developed six principles which the UK government must follow in designing and delivering their post-Covid economic recovery package to ensure a #HealthyRecovery.
Prioritise health for people & planet. Every decision should be assessed in relation to its impact on health and climate, as much as on the economy. Measures should exceed existing commitments to protecting health and the environment. Let’s strengthen standards, not sacrifice them.
Build a resilient & sustainable economy. Rather than seeking to return to how things were six months ago, the government’s recovery measures must increase the resilience of our economy, and of our key services, social systems, population health and environment.
Accelerate carbon reduction. Recovery must be consistent with the government’s commitment to achieve carbon net-zero in the UK by at least 2050. Rather than simply avoiding carbon intensive sectors, investment must be targeted on low carbon and carbon reduction industries.
Reduce health inequalities. Covid-19 has revealed further health inequalities in the UK, and reminds us that crises do not affect everyone equally. The same is true of climate change. The government take this opportunity to close the gaps through their recovery package.
Follow the science. Recovery should draw on the insights of health and climate scientists, as well as economists. Health professionals have protected our health in the crisis, now the government must engage with them to safeguard it against the growing threat of climate change.
Recovery is everyone’s responsibility. Covid-19 has shown our capacity for collaboration across sectors. Businesses, public services, and communities have all stepped up to respond. Our recovery also needs to draw on all of the talent our country has to offer – not least from the health community.