Greater than 46 million healthcare professionals have signed a letter asking the COP28 management to make sure a beneficial end result on the negotiations for giving up fossil fuels so {that a} ‘simply, equitable and wholesome future for all’ may be ensured.
That is the primary COP (Convention of Events) the place a whole day (December 3, 2024) shall be devoted to well being. This shall present the chance to deal with the well being impacts of local weather change on people and on healthcare techniques. The letter assumes significance as a primary have a look at the draft of a local weather and well being declaration resulting from be adopted at COP28 doesn’t appear to acknowledge fossil fuels as the driving force of local weather change. As an alternative it solely requires well being techniques to ‘adapt’ themselves to local weather change.
Thus, the letter, signed by 46.3 million healthcare professionals reads, ‘For COP28 to actually be a “well being COP,” it should handle the basis reason for the local weather disaster: the continued extraction and use of fossil fuels together with coal, oil and fuel. We name on the COP28 Presidency and the leaders of all international locations to decide to an accelerated, simply and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels because the decisive path to well being for all. Ending our harmful dependency on fossil fuels will enhance the well being prospects of future generations and can save lives’.
On the position of fossil fuels it reads, ‘…phase-out will restrict international warming, thereby defending well being from the devastating impacts of maximum climate, and stopping additional ecological degradation and biodiversity loss. Failing to take action will result in overwhelming well being penalties, in addition to the lack of key pure sources and ecosystem providers….thereby undermining One Well being and planetary well being’.
As per the letter, air air pollution prompted partially by burning fossil fuels causes 7 million untimely deaths yearly and the financial value of this quantities over $8.1 trillion which is 6.1 per cent of worldwide GDP (2019 calculation). Improved air high quality will scale back cancers, coronary heart illness, neurological circumstances together with stroke, and continual and acute respiratory illnesses, together with bronchial asthma and continual obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD).
It additionally emphasises a simply transition that shall provide the chance all states entry to non-polluting, reasonably priced, dependable, accessible and resilient clear vitality.
The International Journal of Medication and Public Well being, India is a signatory to the letter, along with quite a few docs of their particular person capacities.
Dr Naveen Thacker, President, Worldwide Paediatric Affiliation mentioned, “Championing real local weather progress means committing to a swift, equitable phase-out of fossil fuels and investing in renewable vitality. That is the definitive path to well being for all”.
Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Institute of Chest Surgical procedure-Chest Onco Surgical procedure and Lung Transplantation, Medanta Hospital, mentioned, “As a lung surgeon, I witness the devastating toll of fossil gasoline combustion on individuals’s respiratory well being day by day. I’ve joined the worldwide well being and medical group in signing (the)… letter…Let at the present time be remembered because the second after we put individuals’s well being and well-being on the forefront of our local weather motion agenda. This chance should not be misplaced.”
The COP28, is to be held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12. The president-designate of the convention is Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, minister of business and superior expertise of the United Arab Emirates.
