Did you know: climate action by health professionals can strengthen public health

Overview

WHO fact sheet with key message on climate change and health for health professionals: Climate change will be the defining issue for health systems in the 21st century, interacting with all of the social determinants of health. Health professionals have the knowledge and responsibility to protect health from climate change.

Why should health professionals care about the impact of climate change?

1. The health of patients is directly threatened by climate change.
2. The health profession can tackle non-communicable diseases and climate change at the same time.
3. The health sector itself is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Health professionals have a responsibility to protect their patients’ health from climate change.
   

What can can health professionals do about it?

1. Learn, assess and plan.
2. Strengthen adaptive capacity.
3. Act as stewards of health-related mitigation.
4. Lead by example.
5. Advocate for health to be at the center of all climate change policies and plans.
   

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