Climate change is a public health emergency. Its impact is now measured in human lives. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasts a grim future: that by 2050, climate change related factors will cost 250 000 lives worldwide every year.1 We know that action to mitigate climate change demands seismic shifts in our lifestyles. Failing to act or delaying action, however, will exact a far grimmer toll on our planet and importantly our nation’s wellbeing.
As healthcare professionals, it is our duty to advocate for policies we know would safeguard the health of current and future generations. It was deeply concerning therefore to see the government’s retreat from critical net zero policies recently, including postponing the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales from 2030 to 2035.
It should now be evident that the impact of climate change on health is not a distant spectre but a very immediate danger. This past June was the hottest in the UK since records began —this just one year on from a summer which saw 25 000 wildfires across England, a fourfold increase on the same period a year prior.23 Meanwhile, antimicrobial resistance and vector-borne infectious diseases are on the rise, and global climate migration poses substantial challenges to human health and demands on healthcare services.4567
We also know that air pollution is an established silent killer that lurks in our cities, contributing to respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and over 40 000 premature deaths annually.8 Petrol and diesel vehicles are major culprits, emitting harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. The initial 2030 ban, now pushed back, was a clear commitment to reducing harmful emissions sooner. Delaying targets means delaying action we could take today to protect our health.
The most vulnerable people are disproportionately affected by these issues. Lower income communities are often in areas with high traffic volumes and limited access to green spaces. Children growing up in these areas face lifelong health risks, including stunted lung development and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses. In pushing back the ban, the government only further condemns them to a future of compromised health.
One would hope that, coupled with the health implications, economic considerations would encourage urgency. The Office for Budget Responsibility warns that a 10 year climate action delay could raise UK debt by 23% by 2050, doubling the fiscal cost of achieving net zero. Unfortunately, this warning has too seemingly gone unheard.9
Even before these announcements, the Climate Change Committee said in June that its confidence that the UK would achieve its net zero targets from 2030 and beyond had “markedly declined” from the previous year.10 It is vital that we have a robust and credible pathway for reaching net zero.
In March, the Royal College of Physicians published a new report on healthcare sustainability and climate change.11 We called for a just transition from fossil fuels and a strengthened Net Zero Strategy. Replacement of fossil fuels must be the linchpin of our strategy to reverse and mitigate the impacts of climate change. It must be central to government policymaking and backed by necessary investment. This must be supported by a sea change in policy provision, which places ill health prevention at the heart of government action. And we must ensure environmental sustainability is effectively prioritised in the health service too, as the NHS itself contributes 40% of public sector emissions.
The targets to ban petrol and diesel vehicles and phase out gas boilers were critical milestones on our journey towards net zero emissions. The decision to delay these measures is a grave misstep with significant health implications. We cannot afford to compromise on our commitment to net zero and cleaner air. We must advocate for change —for better health. Not doing so is a disservice to the people we are trained to care for.
