Safety: Health experts urge world leaders to address extant climate crisis

*Failure to make any progress towards addressing the climate crisis will have significant impacts on consumers’ health and safety, weather patterns, wildlife, and ecosystems

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Amid the continued climate crisis around the world, health experts from over 200 health journals have joined forces to push global leaders to take action.

ConsumerConnect gathered the publications have published an editorial designed to put pressure on policymakers ahead of the United Nations’ General Assembly and the COP26 climate conference later this year.

The specialists wrote: “As health professionals, we must do all we can to aid the transition to a sustainable, fairer, resilient, and healthier world.

“We, as editors of health journals, call for governments and other leaders to act, marking 2021 as the year that the world finally changes course.”

Regarding the urgent need to push for significant changes, the experts explained that not making any progress towards addressing the climate crisis will have significant impacts on consumers’ health and safety, weather patterns, wildlife, and ecosystems.

Whereas all countries must make changes, the researchers say higher-income countries need to do most of the heavy lifting right off the bat to ensure that poorer countries don’t suffer.

Dr. Fiona Godlee, Editor-in-Chief of The BMJ, stated: “Health professionals have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis and they are united in warning that going above 1.5C and allowing the continued destruction of nature will bring the next, far deadlier crisis.

“Wealthier nations must act faster and do more to support those countries already suffering under higher temperatures. 2021 has to be the year the world changes course — our health depends on it.”

As much work is necessary, the benefits will significantly outweigh the risks, said the professionals.

Low-income areas are hit the hardest by the climate crisis, but all consumers would benefit.

The researchers anticipate that reworking health care systems, food and production distribution, and financial markets would lead to significant improvements in air and diet quality, improvements to the job markets, and better physical activity.

Without these efforts, they submit that disastrous weather events will become more frequent, the global temperature will continue to rise, and natural ecosystems won’t function as they normally do.

All of this will contribute to overall poorer health and wellness for consumers, they said.

According to Seye Abimbola, Editor-in-Chief of BMJ Global Health, “what we must do to tackle pandemics, health inequities, and climate change is the same ─global solidarity and action that recognize that, within and across nations our destinies are inextricably linked to the health of the planet.”

Kindly Share This Story