More than 46.3 million healthcare professionals, in a joint letter, have urged Sultan Al Jaber, the president of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, to ensure a favourable outcome and help ditch fossil fuels for a “just, equitable and healthy future for all”.
The 28th Climate Change Conference will be held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12. The conference will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The theme of the conference will be addressing the direct health impacts of climate change on individual well-being and healthcare systems.
The letter argues that the draft of the climate and health declaration which is due to be adopted at COP28 makes glaring omissions of any “acknowledgement of fossil fuels as the driver of climate change”.
One of the key demands of the letter is that fossil fuel industry representatives be excluded from climate negotiations, in the same way, that the tobacco industry was not allowed to participate in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
“It is imperative to safeguard global collaboration on climate progress from the lobbying, disinformation, and delays in favour of industry interests,” it states.
“The climate crisis is a health emergency. As doctors working on the front line, our members see first-hand the devastating impact of climate change and air pollution on our patients,” Dr Latifa Patel, Representative Body Chair, British Medical Association, one of the signatories, said.
“It’s vital that doctors, healthcare workers and health experts worldwide stand together and send a clear message to the COP28 Presidency and world leaders that international action and cooperation is vital to ensure a just, equitable and rapid phase out of fossil fuels to safeguard the future of the planet and the wellbeing of the global population.”
Dr Lwando Maki, President-Elect, Public Health Association of South Africa, urged the president to make a decision that is beneficial for the planet.
“As a young medical doctor from South Africa, I bear witness to the profound and devastating impacts of climate change. On this inaugural Health Day of Climate COP28, I implore health professionals to be the beacon for a just transition away from fossil fuels, for in our hands lies the power to heal both the health of individuals and our ailing planet, forging a healthier world for all.”
The letter was coordinated by the Health Care Without Harm and Global Climate and Health Alliance on behalf of the climate and health community.
