WS 08 - Climate Change and Public Health

Rising global temperatures are causing major physical, chemical, and ecological changes to the planet. Knowledge of these broad effects, known as "climate change," has been present in academic circles for many years, and there is wide consensus among scientific organizations and climatologists that they are the result of human activity. The threats which climate change poses to human health, for current and future generations, has also been thoroughly analyzed and the necessity to act in the name of public health has been emphasized by medical associations and institutions.

Today, an unprecedented wave of global activism among the young population provides a new window of opportunity to move from science to action – but the question of how to get there is currently a matter of intense discussion. This workshop will take a look at the challenges which climate change poses to public health, and analyze what lessons can be learned from existing political initiatives in the area of environmental health. Considering the threats climate change poses to human health, safety, and security, children are a vulnerable group at particularly high risk. The WHO Initiative “Pollution Free Environment for Healthy Generations” has been working to preserve the social foundations of children's mental and physical health, which are further threatened by the specter of far-reaching effects of unchecked climate change, including community and global instability, mass migrations, and increased conflict. Furthermore, non-communicable diseases have been reported to increase among children, and according to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis, early life environmental exposures are one of the possible causes.

Considering these threats of climate change and pollution to public health and looking for possible opportunities and solutions, transportation is a central issue. A move towards sustainable transport would not only help stop climate change, it would produce immediately noticeable effects such cleaner air, less noise, and more physical activity. The public support generated by these short-term changes can become a driving force of long-term sustainability goals and have immediate impact upon our shared environment. Therefore, the workshop will take a look at the issue of transportation to further discuss possible ways to move from knowledge to solutions to political action.