Health and Sustainable Development Network

February newsletter

Here is another update from the Convergence of Health and Sustainable Development Network.
 

1. Climate Change Speaker Training 14 March, London 

We have arranged for COIN (Climate Outreach and Information Network) to run a day’s speaker training for those of us in health interested in communicating with our own workplace, other NHS organisations, and our local communities. The training develops your speaking skills and builds your confidence in the communicating climate change message to help people take action. It will be on 14th March at the Friend’s House, Euston Road, London.
 
This will be a really helpful and motivating day.  COIN are experts in speaker training.  It will also be a great networking opportunity.   

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To cover costs the fee for the day will be £60.  Click here for programme and registration form.  The deadline for registration is 7 March.

 

2. Faculty of Public Health guide published 

The Faculty of Public Health published in January Sustaining a Healthy Future: Taking Action on Climate Change, written by Jenny Griffiths and Lindsey Stewart.  The guide, which is endorsed by 19 organisations, explains clearly and concisely:

  • the causes and consequences of climate change
  • the effects of health of climate change
  • what sustainable development is
  • how sustainable development is inextricably linked with the public health agenda
  • what tools exist for challenging climate change
  • how you can help make your organisation a good corporate citizen.
  • how you can work together with other organisations in your local community to promote sustainable development and its links with health.
The guide has lots of checklists for practical action.  See www.fph.org.uk to download a copy and the accompanying statement to all health leaders, 'It's time to act on climate change'.  The guide had some coverage in the professional press, including the Health Service Journal.  Jenny is currently working on a slide set as a companion product.
 

3.  Climate and Health Council and Royal College of Physicians Conference 

We are continuing to work with the Climate and Health Council (www.climateandhealth.org/) and are meeting with them in early March.  We encourage you to sign up to their Declaration if you have not already done so.
 
Members of the Council organised an excellent conference at the Royal College of Physicians on 29 January, which succeeded in being both sobering and inspirational at the same time.  Here is a link to the presentations:

  http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk /event/ArchiveEvent/0801Climate .aspx

As Mike Gill put it, there are some stunningly succinct contributions from an impressive array of speakers.

 

The key message was that we have only a very few years, perhaps 5-10, to get greenhouse gas emissions under control to prevent unmanageable climate change, i.e. no more than two degrees of global warming and capping emissions of carbon dioxide equivalent at 450 parts per million.  The level in 2007 was 423 ppm and is rising at 2 ppm annually.  Progress needs to be made rapidly across the three interlocking strategies of government policy (carbon trading, regulation etc.), technology and personal lifestyle change.

 

4.  Faculty of Public Health sustainable development e-group 

Angela Raffle has put her notes of the RCP conference on the Faculty's sustainable development network e-group.  Do join this e-group if you haven't already done so.  There was a very interesting message from Richard Fielding from the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong last week about the impact of climate change on food supply.  Adrian Lister's presentation at the RCP conference reminded us that the 6th mass extinction of life on earth - caused by human beings - is now underway.

 

5.  HPA/DH report on the impact of climate change 

You may have seen that the Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health have published their updated report on the impact of climate change, which is welcome.  The report does not however mention the impact of crop failures, and loss of land for food cultivation, which are already resulting in higher food prices with consequent impact on inequalities in health; nor does it highlight concerns about population displacement in Africa and Asia leading to increased migration.

 

 

6.  CPD programmes

One of our priorities for 2008, consistent with our original manifesto, is to encourage many more CPD events at local level on sustainable development and climate change.  We think we still need to raise awareness of the seriousness of the situation - and empower people to take action.

 

7.  Faculty of Public Health conference 

We will be running a workshop at the Faculty of Public Health conference in Cardiff  (3-5 June) again this year, involving the lead Regional Director for Public Health, Paul Cosford, and the new NHS Sustainable Development Unit, the establishment of which is a very welcome development indeed.

 

Best wishes 

Alison and Jenny