The 2019 Ronald Ross Lecture Series: Climate Action for Health

The 2021 Ronald Ross Lecture Series

Climate Action for Health

Professor Sir Andrew Haines, FRCGP, FRCP, FFPH FMedSci
Professor of Environmental Change and Public Health, Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

 
RSVP by Tuesday 7 September, 2021

Abstract

There is evidence that climate change is already having effects on health, for example a recent study, based on data from over 700 sites around the world, suggests that over 30% of heat -related deaths over the past two decades can be attributed to climate change. While human societies can adapt to climate change, there will be limits to adaptation, for example from extreme heat exposure exceeding the physiological capacity to regulate core body temperature in some locations. Implementing policies to promote resilient health systems, able to respond to climate shocks can reduce health effects, but cutting emissions rapidly to achieve the target of the Paris Agreement, to limit global average temperature increase to well under 2°C, will be essential to reduce the risks to health. Many policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions can yield near term improvements in human health, e.g. cutting fossil fuel combustion can reduce ambient air pollution deaths, and increased walking and cycling can reduce both air pollution and the incidence of diseases related to physical inactivity. Providing clean, affordable energy can also reduce deaths from household air pollution. Reduced animal product consumption (particularly from ruminants) in high consuming populations, and increased consumption of fruit, vegetable and seeds, can reduce GHG emissions and improve health. Valuing these co-benefits can make such policies more attractive to decision makers and incentivise climate action.

About the speaker

Andrew (Andy) Haines was formerly a primary care physician and Professor of Primary Health Care at UCL. He developed an interest in climate change and health in the 1990’s and was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the 2 nd and 3 rd assessment exercises and review editor for the health chapter in the 5 th assessment. He was Director (formerly Dean) of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine from 2001- October 2010. He chaired the Scientific Advisory Panel for the 2013 WHO World Health Report, the Rockefeller /Lancet Commission on Planetary Health (2014-15) and the European Academies Science Advisory Council working group on climate change and health (2018-19).

He currently co-chairs the InterAcademy Partnership (140 science academies worldwide) working group on climate change and health and is also co-chairing the Lancet Pathfinder Commission on health in the zero-carbon economy. He has published many papers on topics such as the effects of environmental change on health and the health co-benefits of low carbon policies. His current research focuses on climate change mitigation, sustainable healthy food systems and complex urban systems for sustainability.

Programme

This Lecture is part of the Ronald Ross Lecture Series, which is co-organised by The Cyprus Institute and the British High Commission

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