14 December, 2023
The European Respiratory Society (ERS) welcomes the progress made during the COP28 meeting and the outcomes of the first global stocktake but expresses deep concern and disappointment over the summit’s failure to commit to a full phase out of fossil fuels and its wider implications for health.
Health must remain at the centre of any agreement when speaking about climate change and the environment. The COP28 agreement represents progress in a sense: it acknowledges the importance of health as a basic human right [1] and in outlining adaptation measures which should be taken against climate change-related health impacts [2].
However, climate change poses an unprecedented threat to each and every person in the world, and actions speak far louder than words. Along with other health-focused organisations, we will remain sceptical until we see concerted and sustained efforts to improve health.
In a historical COP28 where health was put on agenda for the first time, it was made clear that climate crisis is a health crisis. Climate change actions would bring major and immediate benefits to health, via reduction of air pollution, increase in physical activity (promotion of active travel in cities) and transition to healthier plant-based diets (reduction of meat consumption).
In addition to these, the latest research showing more adverse effects of air pollution on respiratory and cardiovascular health on days with hot weather, illustrates how air pollution and climate change are closely interlinked, and that air pollution reduction would mitigate impacts of global warming on our health.
Despite all the science and health arguments, COP28 failed to deliver what is needed to protect our health and planet: fossil fuel phase out.
Professor Zorana Jovanovic Andersen, ERS Environment and Health Committee Chair, represented ERS at COP28. Prof. Andersen said:
“We have witnessed a historical Health Day at COP28, where health has been put in the centre of climate discussions and actions. The health cost of climate change and large inequalities of climate driven health impacts, affecting most those who are most vulnerable, are unacceptable.
“In addition, more than five million deaths are caused by air pollution each year – an issue inseparable from climate change.
“We hoped that the health argument would have been a game changer for a more ambitious COP28 agreement and much needed clear pathway for fossil fuel phase-out, however COP28 failed to deliver what is required to protect our health and planet.
“Yes, health has been included in the COP28 agreement – but governments and policymakers worldwide must now act.”