Intended for healthcare professionals

CCBY Open access

Rapid response to:

Editorials

Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity, and protect health

BMJ 2021; 374 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1734 (Published 06 September 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;374:n1734

Linked News

Climate crisis: Over 200 health journals urge world leaders to tackle “catastrophic harm”

Rapid Response:

Re: Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity, and protect health

Dear Editor

This call for a rapid emergency response could not have come at a better time (UN COP26), especially as pre COP discussions have made no progress. The IPCC 6th assessment said that "unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach" (9 August 2021 IPCC press release). However the record of inaction shows this will not happen unless governments, in short order, terminate fossil fuel subsidies and incentives and charge the fossil fuel industry the full costs of fossil fuel pollution. This is a must for rapid global emissions decline mitigation, adaptation and for the development of safe direct air capture of CO2. As these two long delayed indispensable measures are not in the Call for Emergency measures..., the world and our future needs a follow up statement urging governments to implement these for the UN COP26.

Sincerely
Dr. Peter Carter

Competing interests: No competing interests

06 September 2021
Peter D. Carter
Retired MD
Climate Emergency Institute
Victoria, BC, Canada