Climate and Health Council - Sign the Pledge now!
We pledge:
- to protect health through active engagement to limit the causes of human-caused climate change
Tackling climate change and ending poverty are the two most
important, urgent priorities to ensure global health, justice and
survival for present and future generations.
- in this regard, to advocate
- the establishment of a global, systematic, and consistent approach,
led and implemented by governments NOW, based on an agreed global
framework
- the redistribution of resources
A consistent and equitable framework will promote the health, social
justice, and survival of current and future generations, both rich and
poor, both locally and globally.
3. We believe that:
This framework must have three components:
a) A scientifically-assessed and globally binding commitment to
cap and reduce carbon emissions to avoid atmospheric concentrations
greater than 450ppm ,recognising that this target may be subject to
revision in light of further scientific information.
b) A mechanism for ensuring that resources are transferred to those
countries where both living standards and fossil fuel use have been
low. These resources include those needed to enable population
stabilisation.
c) An approach to development which, by giving people the capability of
making low carbon choices, minimises green house gas emissions.
We will support actions that have these three ingredients. They are,
for example, built into the 'fair shares' Contraction and Convergence
framework articulated by the Global Commons Institute (www.GCI.org.uk). If other frameworks emerge which have these three ingredients, we would support them too. This pledge is underpinned by our Declaration (see 4 below) and
supported by a series of actions which provide documented support for
our position (see 5 below).
4. Declaration
We as health professionals and health managers, concerned about the
effects of climate change on global health and the environment...
Click here to see the full text of the Climate and Health Council Declaration
5. Building support for our position
We are developing five main ways to broaden and document support for our position:
a) We have initiated the development of a high profile report which
will outline the health and economic costs of inaction on climate
change, and the benefits of mitigation. This report is intended to
inform discussions (at national and international level) in the run up
to Copenhagen.
b) We are seeking to expand the number individual and organisational
signatories to our declaration, and to increase their geographical
spread.
c) We are developing links with other professional groups, the private sector, government departments, and NGOs
d) We are establishing a personal carbon trading group, in collaboration with the Royal Society of Arts.
e) We are collaborating with the NHS Sustainable Development Unit to
secure the active involvement of all 500 NHS Trusts in England
We encourage those who have signed the pledge to:
a) Join the CARBON CAP AND TRADE SCHEME, and so measure your CO2 emissions and start trading.
b) Join the Climate and Health Council. This costs £10 for an individual and £50 for an organisation.
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