Healthy Planet: Climate Change Workshop

Date of Event: Wednesday 4th November

Time of Event: 6.00 - 8.00pm

Venue: Malet Place Eng 1.03

"Climate Change is the defining Global Health issue of the 21st century".

Did you know that Climate Change is one of the biggest global health issues of the 21st century? Did you know that a Global Humanitarian Forum report, chaired by Kofi Annan, estimated that 300,000 die a year as a result of manmade climate change?

Did you know that this figure will rise to at least 500,000 by 2030 as a result of changing infectious disease patterns, intensification of droughts, floods and natural disasters, water and food scarcity, mass migration and population instability, among others?

But climate change has the potential to stimulate a global public health revolution. Some of the world's most dominant diseases - heart disease, cancer, and road traffic accidents - can all minimised by reducing animal product consumption, reducing automated transport and shifting towards walking and cycling, and reducing industry and air pollution.

As health professionals we have a crucial role to play in firstly taking action on climate change, firstly by reducing our carbon footprint, and secondly in advocating for stronger mitigation action on climate change. Furthermore, the student body - future health professionals - have an equally key role to play. Climate change will be the legacy we inherit - it will be up to us to manage the health impacts, it will be our health most affected, and it falls to us to make our own voice heard.

Healthy Planet is a highly active and rapidly expanding Medsin Campaign. We take the stance that health professionals must take action against climate change. Our goal is to mobilise the health profession in the UK and internationally, and use our uniquely authoritative and respected voice to lobby government worldwide.

In this interactive workshop I [Mustafa] will run through the relationship between climate change and global health and along the way we will stop at interesting debates in international health. Then I'll describe what the health profession is doing in response, and together we will look to the future and discuss Healthy Planet's goals and objectives for 09/10.

NB - This workshop is suitable for everyone, students and graduates, medical students and non, and both beginners and veterans of the climate change movement. Questions in advance? Email healthyplanet@medsin.org

Mustafa is a medical student at UCL. He is National Vice-President of Medsin-UK, has been National Director of Healthy Planet for 14 months, is a board member of the Climate and Health Council, a senior health professional body of international leaders in climate change and health, was a co-author of this year's UCL-Lancet Commission on Managing the Health Effects of Climate Change, is a Programme Director for the British Council's International Climate Champions scheme, has just completed an Intercalated BSc in International Health and in January will be leading an SSC for second year medical students on Climate Change and Global Health.

DIRECTIONS: click here

You can read more about the Healthy Planet campaign by clicking here.