Reading experts launch UK guide to tackle climate change health risks
New report calls for urgent action to protect public health from environmental decline
A new guide launched at the House of Lords to help parliamentarians understand the health risks from climate change, urging policymakers to act quickly.
The Parliamentarians' Guide to Health and Climate Change, developed by Peers for the Planet with support from Wellcome, explains how climate change and environmental decline threaten health in the 21st century.
Professor Hannah Cloke from the University of Reading contributed to the report, focusing on the lasting impacts of floods and storms on physical and mental well-being.
"The evidence shows that by investing in early warning systems and adapting our buildings and landscapes, including with nature-based solutions, we can help protect communities from the risks we face," Professor Cloke said.
The report sets out priorities for action such as strengthening NHS readiness for climate impacts, tackling air pollution, and creating communities able to withstand climate changes.
Professor Baroness Kathy Willis CBE, FRS Chair of Peers for the Planet, highlighted the need for action to protect public health and the natural environment.
"The science is clear: climate change is no longer a distant or abstract threat. Its impacts are already affecting people’s health, livelihoods and daily lives. We must act urgently, putting proven solutions into practice to protect public health, build resilience and safeguard the natural environment on which we depend," she said.
Contributors also included Professor Elizabeth Robinson and Dr Chloe Brimicombe, discussing the financial costs of climate-related health risks and risks to mothers and children.