The UK’s four nations today jointly committed their health services to achieve “net zero” carbon emissions by 2045.
They are among 47 countries, including the USA, to make similar commitments as part of a Science and Innovation Day of the COP26 summit.
It came as the World Health Organization warned that many health services lack the funds to deliver commitments on health and climate change.
The impact of COVID-19 and not enough people to carry out the strategies are also to blame, according to the 2021 WHO health and climate change global survey.
The survey found that 85% of countries have a designated point in their ministries of health for health and climate change and 54% of countries say their ministry of health has established a task force or committee that focuses on health and climate change.
About two-thirds of countries that were surveyed say they have completed – or are now undertaking – a climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment, and 94% say they incorporate health considerations in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement.
However, 70% of countries cite insufficient finances as the main impediment to fully implementing national health and climate change plans, up from 56% in 2019.
About half of the countries say COVID-19 has slowed down progress on addressing climate change, while lack of staff was the second biggest barrier. About one third of countries said a key barrier was a lack of intersectoral collaboration.
Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health, said: “The new WHO survey highlights how many countries are left unsupported and unprepared to deal with the health impacts of climate change.
“We are here at COP 26 to urge the world to better support countries in need, and to ensure that together we do a better job of protecting people from the biggest threat to human health we face today.
“Countries’ inability to protect health from climate change is most harmful for their most disadvantaged groups, including ethnic minorities, poor communities, migrants and displaced people, older people and many women and children.
“The health arguments for increased climate action are very clear. For example, almost 80% of deaths caused by air pollution could be avoided if current air pollution levels were reduced to the WHO air quality guidelines.”
Lead author Tara Neville, technical officer at the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, added: “The challenge now is to remove the barriers that are preventing countries from finalising and implementing plans.”
The UK’s commitments include a promise in Scotland that all small and medium sized NHS vehicles will be carbon neutral within four years. In Wales the ambulance service has set 2030 as an objective but promises to ensure all lighting is LED by 2025.
Scotland will also aim to eliminate emissions from medical nitrous oxide by 2027.
The NHS England promised to unveil the first zero emission ambulance with a 300 mile range at the COP26 conference. New hospital buildings will have to achieve zero carbon standards. The government has promised 48 new hospitals by 2030.
Health secretary Sajid Javid said: “I am delighted that all four UK health services are pledging to become net zero and it is brilliant news that dozens of countries have joined the UK in committing to reduce carbon emissions from their health systems – significantly cutting greenhouse gas output around the world.”
Leave a Reply