Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published the findings of an international survey which gains insight into the personal and professional experience of child health professionals globally regarding climate change.
The results of the survey demonstrates the impact of climate change already being felt within the health service. Healthcare professionals from 50 countries felt that the most common environmental risks children and young people now face are exposure to heat, poor outdoor air quality, household air pollution and higher prevalence of infectious disease.
Respondents reported:
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Ghana: Increased pollution is resulting in an increase in the number of children and young people (CYP) with poorly controlled asthma and presenting with asthma exacerbations. The increasing temperature due to global warming is also resulting in a higher prevalence of vector transmitted diseases. Australia: Individuals are experiencing floods, extreme heat and bushfires. Bushfires also negatively impact air quality resulting in an increased prevalence of asthma. There have also been problems with droughts and flooding which can lead to a loss of homes. Malawi: Cyclone Freddy impacted many areas and caused the socioeconomic situation for many individuals who were struggling to worsen – access to essentials and health services was also reduced due to the loss of crops and worsening road conditions. |
In its analysis the report confirmed that the role of health professionals in tackling climate change is pivotal. One of the core skills in healthcare is the ability to translate knowledge gained from science into actionable policies. As such, there is an urgent need to discuss and educate health care workers to take initiatives within the health service, to incorporate climate change in medical education, and influence health services policy.
In order to achieve this, the College has presented several recommendations, such as:
- The outcomes from Conference of the Parties (COP) Health Day should include a commitment to financing for adaptation to increase the proportion of climate funds supporting children, reduce and mitigate the burden felt by children and young people.
- Embedding climate mitigation, adaptation and advocacy into curriculums at all stages of medical training, providing health professionals with the tools to provide high quality care in changing climates globally.
- Enhanced data collection is needed to quantify the impact of climate change on child health expanding the evidence base for policy development. Global climate and health funders should focus on commissioning research to further quantity the impact environmental problems are having on morbidity.
RCPCH calls on global leaders to take mitigating and adaptation actions against the current and future impacts of climate change and ensure that all children have access to their fundamental economic and social human rights.
RCPCH Officer for Climate Change, Dr Helena Clements, said:
As a College we have been clear that climate change poses an existential risk to our children. Children have fundamental human rights to clean air, safe water, sanitation, affordable and nutritious food, and shelter, yet millions of children in the UK and globally do not have access to these critical health determinants. As confirmed by this report, the situation is only being worsened by climate change.
As paediatricians, most of us didn’t start our careers thinking we would have to take action on climate change and learn how to support children suffering as a result. But this report shows so clearly that many colleagues around the world are confronted by the effects on a daily basis.
We need a keen political focus if we are to reverse this trend and attempts to mitigate the climate crisis must be meaningful. Tokenistic schemes and far away targets will not be enough to avert disaster. The effects of climate change are being felt already, both at home and across the globe. We can no longer wait for the ‘right time’ to tackle this problem.
RCPCH Global Officer, Dr Sue Broster, said:
Unfairly, it is people living in countries which contributed least to global emissions that are bearing the brunt of the increased burden of disease, and children are especially vulnerable.
We must take actions to improve these conditions for children and young people. And for our colleagues working in health systems around the world, I believe we have a duty of care to improve working conditions and plan for environmental factors such as air pollution, flooding, and extreme heatwaves.
Working together as child health professionals and wider collaborations has never been more important if we are to safeguard the planet for future generations. As an organisation, we continue to call on political leaders to act boldly and decisively on climate change.