DAUK’s sustainability committee member Dr Marnie Sethi blogs about the health impact of the climate crisis and recent weather events on patients, and their impact on communities and the NHS.
Winter is already putting unprecedented stress upon our NHS and upon local communities.
We have long known the most vulnerable people in society suffer more from health conditions in the winter months, and this leads to significant pressures on the health service.
Climate change
Our climate plays a large part in this. Extreme weather events with significant impacts on our daily lives are becoming more frequent and more intense due to climate change.
November’s floods devastated many families and businesses around the UK. Services have been disrupted, livestock drowned, and livelihoods destroyed, just before the run-up to Christmas.
Climate change is causing a significant shift in our rainfall patterns and the frequency of storms. It’s leading to an increasing number of such occurrences across the UK, and indeed the world.
Some our patients have lost their homes and become unwell as a result. Key health services in affected areas, such as GP practices, have had to shut down during an already busy time.
Devastated community
One such community which has been devastated is Pontypridd in Wales.
An invaluable asset to this community was a communal garden and education centre which helped young children and families who were struggling.
It was an excellent social prescribing tool which greatly benefited the people that lived there. It too has been destroyed.
Just as attempts were being made to assess the damage to people’s lives, Storm Darragh appeared to cause more devastation.
A rare red warning was issued with danger to life being a key concern.
Climate crisis
This serves to highlight the increasing health impact of the climate crisis on our patients, and it’s impact on our everyday lives.
Many are currently suffering without the basics of running water, electricity and even shelter.
At DAUK, our thoughts are with all those affected by the recent floods and Storm Darragh.
Before the next event, whether that’s a heatwave, a flood, or even a pandemic, we need a national public information campaign on climate change.
Climate and Nature Bill
We need decisive leadership with new legislation such as the Climate and Nature Bill.
The Bill is the only proposed legislation going before Parliament that ensures a comprehensive and joined-up approach to the climate emergency.
If agreed, the Bill would lead to several climate and nature goals becoming law, such as:
- Requiring the United Kingdom to achieve climate and nature targets
- Giving the secretary of state a duty to implement a strategy to achieve those targets
- Establishing a Climate and Nature Assembly to advise the secretary of state in creating that strategy
- Giving duties to the Committee on Climate Change and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the strategy and targets
We stand ready to support any initiatives to raise awareness and promote climate change mitigation and adaptation measures for the sake of health.
Our online resource Our Health, Our Planet is already going some way to support this.
But we really need our political leaders to take decisive action. Now, before it’s too late.
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