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The UK response: adaptation and mitigation strategies

The UK response: adaptation and mitigation strategies. Professor Dame Sally C Davies Director General Research and Development Department of Health. Health effects of climate change Adaptation Mitigation Research Living with Environmental Change Research Programme. Outline of Talk.

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The UK response: adaptation and mitigation strategies

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  1. The UK response: adaptation and mitigation strategies Professor Dame Sally C Davies Director General Research and Development Department of Health

  2. Health effects of climate change Adaptation Mitigation Research Living with Environmental Change Research Programme Outline of Talk

  3. Health Effects of Climate Change (IPCC 4th Report)

  4. Health Effects of Climate Change • Heatwave-related health problems • Air pollution – Respiratory & Cardiovascular effects • Flooding / mental health consequences • Infectious / vector-borne diseases • Sunburn, skin cancer • Water & Food shortages • Extreme weather-related events (injuries/death) • But, decrease in cold-related illness & deaths

  5. Adaptation – current plans Heatwave National Heatwave Plan DH (annually since 2004) Flooding NHS Emergency Planning Guidance DH/HPA (2009) Food-borne disease ‘Bugs like it hot’ campaign Food Standards Agency (2007) Air Pollution UK Air Quality Strategy Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2007)

  6. Climate Change Act (2008) and Adaptation Planning Targets - Reduction of UK carbon emissions by at least 34% by 2020 and at least 80% by 2050, (1990 baseline levels Accountability - Committee on Climate Change (CCC) and Sub Committee on Adaptation Action plans – Key public bodies and utilities companies required to have plans and Government Departments to publish Climate Change Plans in Spring 2010 Evidence - UK Climate Projections published 2009

  7. Mitigation – ‘Good Corporate Citizen’ • The NHS • biggest business in England • contributes approx 25% of the public sector’s total carbon emissions • 1 in 20 journeys in the UK associated with the NHS Choosing Health: Making Healthier Choices Easier (DH 2004) • NHS Energy and Carbon Efficiency Targets (£100m Energy Efficiency Sustainability Fund) • ‘The Health Impact of Climate Change - Promoting Sustainable Communities’ (DH 2008)

  8. Measure and manage:The carbon footprint of NHS England(c. 20 million tonnes carbon dioxide eq p.a.) Travel: patients, staff, visitors = c.20% • Procurement: supply chain activities of companies producing goods and services= c. 60% • Energy: heating, lighting, hot water, ventilation, cooling = c. 20%

  9. NHS Sustainable Development Unit • Helps the NHS in England fulfil its potential as a leading sustainable and low-carbon organisation • NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy (2009 - building design, transport, waste, food, water & energy use) • Fit for the Future (2009 - Scenarios for low-carbon healthcare 2030)

  10. ‘Climate Change is Global’ • ‘Health is Global’ - A UK Government Strategy, 2008-13. • UK co-chairs the WHO (Europe) Climate Change Task Force, to develop a Framework for Action on Climate Change and Health. • WHO European Environment and Health Ministerial Conference, Parma, 2010

  11. The LWEC partnership brings together 20 UK organisations funding, undertaking and using environmental research to accelerate the delivery of research on environmental change into policy and business.

  12. LWEC Objectives How to increase the resilience of vulnerable people, places and infrastructure? How to ensure food, water and human security? How to deliver a low carbon society? To predict the impacts of climate change and to promote sustainable solutions through mitigation and adaptation To manage ecosystem services for human well-being and to protect the natural environment as it changes To promote human well-being, alleviate poverty and minimise waste by ensuring a sustainable supply of food and water To protect human, plant and animal health from diseases, pests and environmental hazards To make infrastructure, thebuilt environment andtransportsystems resilient to environmental change To understand how people respond to a changing environment and develop thriving, cohesive and informed communities

  13. is helping to maximize the policy impact of scientific advances • is providing solutions to the challenge of environmental change • aims to produce world class science that meets the needs of society

  14. Reducing carbon emissions in research • National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has established an expert committee to produce guidelines for reducing carbon emissions in research • Recent BMJ publication showed most of carbon emissions in RCTs is due to travel (K Lyle et al. BMJ 2009 339 4187) • estimate average CO2 emission of randomised trials is 78.4 tonnes

  15. Thank you Professor Dame Sally C Davies Director General Research and Development Department of Health

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