Institute of Health Visiting; Ride For Their Lives podcast and Clean Air Day
In the podcast, Heather and Mark talk about how they got involved, what we can all do to help combat air pollution, the joy of cycling and that electric bicycles are just as good for you as a conventional bike.
Hay fever may get worse due to climate change, says Met Office
Prof Sheena Cruickshank, an immunologist at the University of Manchester said: “Pollution can damage the protective barriers in our nose and respiratory tracts so we’re more likely to get things in, we’re seeing that pollution can have an effect on immune sensing … and it can narrow airways and make it difficult to breathe.
These findings collectively support a tumour-promoting role for PM2.5 air pollutants and provide impetus for public health policy initiatives to address air pollution to reduce disease burden.
Nature volume 616, pages159–167 (2023)
Taking air pollution data to the next level – displaying in the patient chart and empowering action
Poster Presentation at RCPCH Conference Glasgow May 2023;
There is a significant knowledge gap regarding air
pollution and its impacts at our hospital. We present a
novel and easily replicable intervention that displays
useful patient specific data and resources at the point
of need to clinicians.
Research on carbon inequalities shows that some countries are overshooting their fair share of the remaining carbon budget and hold disproportionate responsibility for climate breakdown.
Here we express them in terms of numbers of people left outside the ‘human climate niche’—defined as the historically highly conserved distribution of relative human population density with respect to mean annual temperature. We show that climate change has already put ~9% of people (>600 million) outside this niche.
Transport systems need to be made safe, healthy and sustainable
In the context of the 7th UN Global Road Safety Week (15-21 May 2023), the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on governments to increase investments in walking, cycling and public transport, those modes of transport which are inherently healthy and sustainable
Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to public health and children are especially vulnerable
Air pollution is an emerging global emergency that threatens the health and productivity of people across the planet. It unfairly impacts those that have
contributed the least to this crisis—particularly children. We must act proactively and collaboratively to tackle this.
London Cycling Campaign Climate Safe Streets One Year On, One Year To Go report
For each of London’s 32 boroughs (we’ve left out the City*), LCC tracked
progress not only on delivery of schemes and activities over the last year
that we asked councils and the Mayor to deliver via our Climate Safe Streets
campaigns, we have also tracked each council’s progress on reducing the mode
share of private motor traffic.
RFTL members supporting structural changes to improve air quality in the North of England.
RFTL members "have penned an open letter to local election candidates saying they are “seriously concerned” about the local opposition to the LTN scheme – and calling for the scheme to be continued in the name of cutting air pollution and the health problems it causes."
Ease of travel on public transport with a fully assembled bike by country.
We are collating resources and personal experience of the ease of taking your fully assembled bike on trains, boats and coaches and would love to include your input. Not aeroplanes obviously. Cycling there and back is obviously the best in many ways including mental health.
Hourly air pollution exposure and the onset of symptomatic arrhythmia: an individual-level case–crossover study in 322 Chinese cities
Another article linking arrythmias with acute rises in ambient air pollution this time using a nationwide, time-stratified, case–crossover study in China between 2015 and 2021. Adds to the evidence in young adults using a personal PM2.5 monitor with a Holter ECG.
In this episode listen to Caroline Dalton, a pharmacist at Great Ormond Street, and one of GOSH's 'Green Champions'. She is talking about the reasons why she became a Green Champion, as well as some of the inspiring sustainability projects she has completed in her department.
Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health
The Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH; “the Alliance”) works to realize the ambition set at COP26 to build climate resilient and sustainable health systems, using the collective power of WHO Member States (“Member States”) and other stakeholders to drive this agenda forward at pace and scale.
Climate change - what can child health professionals do and how is it relevant to the healthcare setting?
As this year’s RCPCH Conference gets ever closer, keynote speaker Dr Maria Neira, Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organization, gives us a preview of what she will be taking to the main stage to discuss.
Italian Paediatricians collect 14,000 signatures asking Mayors to address air pollution.
In Italy, the Cultural Association of Paediatricians (ACP) has involved other groups of paediatricians and has collected 14,000 signatures on a letter asking the mayors of all Italian cities to intervene with measures aimed at decreasing motor traffic and sustainable mobility.
Doctors need to speak up in support of cleaner air in London and other cities
Doctors and health workers need to speak up for health in what has become an intense battle, and you should support the Ride for Their Lives around the perimeter of the ULEZ on 13-15 May.4 The ride will be led by Mark Hayden, an intensive care doctor from Great Ormond Street who has seen children dying from the effects of air pollution.
Royal College of Physicians view on healthcare sustainability and climate change RCP view | March 2023
As a founding member of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has been vocal about the health impacts of climate change.
Air Pollution and Mortality at the Intersection of Race and Social Class | NEJM
Higher-income Black persons, low-income White persons, and low-income Black persons may benefit more from lower PM2.5 levels than higher-income White persons.
UK farming causes over a quarter of cities’ PM2.5 particle pollution
This study reveals that farming is responsible for more than a quarter of the particle pollution in UK cities.
UK agriculture created 38% of the particle pollution in 2019, according to the study. In each case the contribution from rural agriculture was greater than all of the sources within the cities themselves.
The ICS Clean Air Framework is a free tool enabling ICS leaders to take action to secure cleaner air and a healthier future for their region. The Framework can be used to develop a stand-alone Clean Air Action Plan, or to integrate and prioritise clean air actions in a Green Plan.
'Goshpods goes Green!' is a weekly podcast starting in Feb 2023, focusing on the important issue of sustainability in health care, how healthcare practices are contributing to this emergency, and discuss the small steps that all healthcare professionals can take on the road to instigating bigger changes within the NHS.
Ella Kissi-Debrah is thought to be the first person in the world to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Ten years on we follow her family’s fight for clean air for all. Find out about Ella's Law and watch a BBC film.
UK Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2022 Air pollution
This report is about air pollution and its solutions in England, but it is also an international
problem. There is a lot we can learn from best international practice. Many air pollutants travel
long distances, so emissions and air quality in continental Europe affect the UK and vice versa.
Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill an opportunity to protect health and reduce the strain on the health service
The Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill is a
Private Members’ Bill started in the House of Lords, where it passed through with cross-party
support. This briefing note has been produced ahead of the second reading of the Bill in the House
of Commons in February 2023.
Video of ErasmusMC Cycling infrastructure. This is what an effective green team can achieve in a receptive environment. Something for us all to aim for.
Inner London Ultra Low Emission Zone Expansion One Year Report
In this one year report, we evaluate the impacts of the ULEZ and the LEZ schemes, focusing on one year following the ULEZ expansion to inner London and for the LEZ, over a year and a half on from the enforcement of tighter LEZ standards.
ClimaHealth : Global Knowledge for Climate and Public Health
Informing action to protect populations from the health risks of climate change. A comprehensive resource assembled and curated by the World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Organization.
Editorial: COP27 Climate Change Conference: urgent action needed for Africa and the world
Wealthy nations must step up support for Africa and vulnerable countries in addressing past, present and
future impacts of climate change
This Comment was published simultaneously in multiple journals. For the full list of journals see:
https://www.bmj.com/content/full-list-authors-and-signatories-climate-emergency-editorial-october-2022
Aiming to unite health professional training institutions, health societies, and regional health organizations to create a global climate-ready health sector.
Climate for Health is a national initiative led by a diverse network of health leaders from across the health sector, committed to advancing climate solutions.
Working to prepare governments, academia, health systems and citizens for a new era of public health: one that can embrace and contend with the realities of the Anthropocene.
The Planetary Health Alliance is a consortium of over 300 universities, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, and government entities from around the world committed to understanding and addressing global environmental change and its health impacts.
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare offers strategic input and consultancy on sustainable healthcare research and practice to national and local programmes.
The Vasco da Gama Movement is the Network for Young and Future Family Doctors of the European Regional Branch of the World Organization of Family Doctors.
Health for a Green New Deal is building a grassroots-powered health movement for a just and green society, one that prioritises the health of people and planet over profit.
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