Experts Climate change threatens the global health system

Climate protection for health prevention
According to experts, climate change "threatens the global health system". Because climate changes are increasingly causing health problems. "Replacing fossil fuels with clean energy technologies could not only help protect the climate, but also make a significant contribution to disease prevention and health care costs." This is from a recent report by the Lancet Commission for the journal "The Lancet".

Climate change causes significant health problems
The Commission examined the impact of the climate crisis on global health policy and came to a clear conclusion: An ambitious action plan for climate protection is inevitable. Because climate change is causing more and more extreme weather conditions such as drought, storms, heat waves and floods. The resulting increase in air pollution, malnutrition, and food security challenges, as well as changing patterns of infectious diseases, will cause significant health burdens that the global health care system will no longer be able to absorb. In addition, high numbers of refugees and armed conflicts aggravated the situation, write the authors of the report.

Increasing climate change is increasingly endangering human health. (Image: Gina Sanders - fotolia)

The Lancet Commission also highlights the positive impact of the fight against climate change. For example, a reduced use of fossil fuels would result in low particulate matter pollution, which in turn would result in fewer respiratory illnesses. In addition, the number of heart attacks and diabetes cases could be reduced, which would relieve the health systems significantly.

The Commission is calling for an end to coal power as the power plants are responsible for large amounts of climate-damaging CO2 and emit tons of air pollutants. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) alone, around 7 million people die worldwide each year as a result of air pollution.

International Action Plan against Climate Change is essential
The authors of the report therefore call for an ambitious action plan from the international community to stop climate change. Especially the richer countries are in financial obligation. "Donor countries have a duty to support actions that reduce the impact of climate change on human well-being," the Commission notes with reference to a five-year plan. "This must enable the strengthening of health systems in low- and middle-income countries and reduce the environmental impact on health care." Climate change has a particular impact on the weaker health systems of the poorer countries of the southern hemisphere.

In the fight against climate change, the Commission calls for the establishment of an independent institution to further advance the progress made in recent years. The impact of climate change on human health would need to be monitored further. The fight against climate change represents one of the greatest opportunities for the global health system. This opportunity must be used, the authors of the report demand. (Ag)