Ten practical actions for doctors to combat climate change

doi:10.1136/bmj.39617.642720.59

BMJ 2008;336:1507 (28 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39617.642720.59

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Ten practical actions for doctors to combat climate change

Jenny Griffiths, Alison Hill, Jackie Spiby, Mike Gill, Robin Stott

¹ Health and Sustainability Network (www.climateandhealth.org), ² Climate and Health Council (www.healthandsustainability.net)

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The effects of climate change on health are already here, fromincreasing food prices to floods. Doctors led the charge ontobacco—we must do the same for climate change.

It is the defining issue for health in the 21st century. Byreducing our greenhouse gas emissions as health professionals,as well as citizens, we will also prevent disease.

The world is close to the critical thresholds of two degreesof global warming and 450 ppm (parts per million) of carbondioxide equivalent emissions. We have 5-10 years to stabiliseemissions to prevent catastrophic climate change. This requiresaction now.

Each person in the UK is directly responsible for about 10 tonnesof carbon emissions a year, divided evenly between energy consumedin buildings; transport (including one tonne on air travel);food production, distribution, and retailing; and consumptionof goods and services other than food. About half of these emissionscome . . . [Full text of this article]

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