UK Health Alliance on Climate Change

The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC) is a coalition of health institutions that work together to combat climate change. It was formed in 2016 to lead the health profession’s response to climate change in the United Kingdom.

The Alliance brings together doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to advocate for better responses to climate change that protect and promote public health.[1] UKHACC emphasises the health co-benefits of tackling climate change, and raises awareness about the relationship between health and climate change.[2]

The Alliance has campaigned on air pollution[3] and coal phase-out.[4] On 30 March 2017, UKHACC highlighted in a letter to the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, that “more work is urgently needed to prepare the personnel, the systems and the facilities of the NHS, as well as other institutions involved in health care, for the implications of climate change.” [5][6] On the topic of coal, the Alliance has noted that coal, as a driver of climate change, damages human health indirectly by increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events like floods and heatwaves.[7]

In June 2019 UKHACC was one of several concerned environmental organisations to write to the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, urging her to urgently commit to the recommendation of the independent Committee on Climate Change for the UK to set a target for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions before 2050.[8] On 12 June 2019, the Prime Minister responded by confirming that a 2050 target would be set in law,[9] the legislation being passed later that month.[10]

Members of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change include royal colleges, medical journals, faculties and societies.[11]

In October 2019, former Editor-in-Chief of the British Medical Journal, Dr Richard Smith, was elected as Chair of the Alliance.[12]

Members
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References
  1. "Climate change | The BMJ". www.bmj.com. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  2. "Sustainability". www.rcpsych.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  3. Castres, Pauline; Dajnak, David; Lott, Melissa; Watts, Nick (2017-06-14). "Most London hospitals and clinics exceed air pollution limits". BMJ. 357: j2855. doi:10.1136/bmj.j2855. ISSN 0959-8138. PMID 28615165.
  4. "Public health cannot wait until 2040, say health leaders". RCP London. 2017-07-26. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  5. Staff; agencies (2016-03-30). "British health systems 'unprepared for devastating effects of climate change'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  6. "UK health services unprepared for climate change, warns major new health alliance". Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  7. "BMA - Move to phase out coal power". www.bma.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  8. "UKHACC Calls on Government to Urgently Adopt CCC net-zero recommendations". UK Health Alliance on Climate Change. 4 June 2019.
  9. "Prime Minister Theresa May responds to net-zero calls". Twitter. 12 June 2019.
  10. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. "UK becomes first major economy to pass net zero emissions law". gov.uk.
  11. "Members of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change". www.ukhealthalliance.org. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  12. ukhealth (2019-10-24). "Emerging thinking of our new chair, Richard Smith". UK Health Alliance. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
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