HLHR.org
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES
No Result
View All Result
hlhrorg
No Result
View All Result
Home Important

WHO prescribes climate action for COVID recovery

WHO prescribes climate action for COVID recovery

October 16, 2021
1
WHO prescribes climate action for COVID recovery

Human Lives Human Rights: Based on a growing body of research confirming numerous and inseparable links between climate and health, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health spells out that transformational action in every sector, from energy, transport and nature to food systems and finance is needed to protect people.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the intimate and delicate links between humans, animals and our environment”, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The same unsustainable choices that are killing our planet are killing people”.

READ ALSO

Is America behind China’s recent protests?

The battlefield of Digital warfare

WHO’s report was launched at the same time as an open letter, signed by over two thirds of the global health workforce – 300 organizations representing at least 45 million doctors and health professionals worldwide – calling for national leaders and COP26 country delegations to step up climate action.

“Wherever we deliver care, in our hospitals, clinics and communities around the world, we are already responding to the health harms caused by climate change”, the letter from the health professionals reads.

“We call on the leaders of every country and their representatives at COP26 to avert the impending health catastrophe by limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and to make human health and equity central to all climate change mitigation and adaptation actions”.

Fossil fuels ‘killing us’

Both the report and open letter come as unprecedented extreme weather events and other climate impacts are taking a rising toll on everyone.

Heatwaves, storms and floods have taken thousands of lives and disrupted millions of others while also threatening healthcare systems and facilities when they are needed most, according to WHO.

Changes in weather and climate are threatening food security and driving up food-, water- and vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, while climate impacts are also negatively affecting mental health.

“The burning of fossil fuels is killing us. Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity”, states the WHO report. And while no one is safe from the health impacts of climate change, “they are disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable and disadvantaged”.

Climate actions far outweigh costs

Meanwhile, air pollution, primarily the result of burning fossil fuels, which also drives climate change, causes 13 deaths per minute worldwide, according to WHO.

The report states clearly that the public health benefits from implementing ambitious climate actions far outweigh the costs.

“It has never been clearer that the climate crisis is one of the most urgent health emergencies we all face”, said Maria Neira, WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

“Bringing down air pollution…would reduce the total number of global deaths from air pollution by 80 per cent while dramatically reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change”, she pointed out.

Dr. Neira added that a shift to more nutritious, plant-based diets “could reduce global emissions significantly, ensure more resilient food systems, and avoid up to 5.1 million diet-related deaths a year by 2050”.

Call to action

Although achieving the Paris Agreement on climate change would improve air quality, diet and physical activity – saving millions of lives a year – most climate decision-making processes currently do not account for these health co-benefits and their economic valuation.

Tedros underscored WHO’s call for all countries to “commit to decisive action at COP26 to limit global warming to 1.5°C – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s in our own interests”, and highlighted 10 priorities in the report to safeguard “the health of people and the planet that sustains us.”

 

 

Tags: Climatecovidfuelsweatherwho

Related Posts

Is America behind China's recent protests?
Important

Is America behind China’s recent protests?

December 5, 2022
The battlefield of Digital warfare
Important

The battlefield of Digital warfare

October 25, 2022
Preventing suicide in Africa should be in priority: Matshidiso Moeti
Important

Preventing suicide in Africa should be in priority: Matshidiso Moeti

October 11, 2022
Even Covid could not stop human trafficking
Important

Even Covid could not stop human trafficking

August 17, 2022
Death, destitution and destruction as Yemeni civilians bear 7-year war
Important

Death, destitution and destruction as Yemeni civilians bear 7-year war

March 25, 2022
Tunisia government uses Covid restrictions as shelter against demonstrations
Important

Tunisia government uses Covid restrictions as shelter against demonstrations

January 15, 2022

Comments 1

  1. Pingback: Tunisian authorities must halt implementing restrictive vaccine pass

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

+ 23 = 27

POPULAR NEWS

Palestinian detainees cross 100 days of boycotting Israeli courts

Palestinian detainees cross 100 days of boycotting Israeli courts

April 15, 2022
Analysis of Taliban offensive and necessary action

Analysis of Taliban offensive and necessary action

April 11, 2022
Taliban rule accompanied by killings and abuses

Taliban rule accompanied by killings and abuses

April 17, 2022
What was behind the death of Qatar's migrant workers?

What was behind the death of Qatar’s migrant workers?

April 21, 2022
Rights groups demand whereabouts of detained Egyptian journalist

Rights groups demand whereabouts of detained Egyptian journalist

April 24, 2022

EDITOR'S PICK

Salvador Allende's assassination by Pinochet with the US support

Salvador Allende’s assassination by Pinochet with the US support

December 20, 2021

Remains of 215 children found at indigenous school site in Canada

May 31, 2021
Bernardo Caal Xol didn't deserve to spent a day in prison

Bernardo Caal Xol didn’t deserve to spent a day in prison

March 26, 2022
Filipino human rights lawyer Chito Gascón dies of Covid

Filipino human rights lawyer Chito Gascón dies of Covid

October 21, 2021
HLHR.org

About HLHR

Ours is a familiar story. A group of friends from all over the world have come together to chase the dream many others have chased before and are religiously working to fulfill; a world where human lives and human rights are treasured.

Recent Posts

  • After deadly Jenin raid, Israel again launches air strikes on Gaza
  • As world ages, UN calls for re-thinking on social protection
  • Baku summit – A summit held behind the curtains
  • A glance at the human rights situations since January 2023
  • Indonesian President regrets past violations

Categories

No Result
View All Result

© 2021 HLHR.ORG All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
  • TAKE ACTION
  • NEWS
  • RESEARCH
  • IMPACT
  • RESOURCES

© 2021 HLHR.ORG All rights reserved.