Talks and forming a Health Group

Dr Hugh Montgomery of UCH has agreed to do his excellent talk on Survival and Climate Change for TTB. If anyone would like to take on organising this and getting as many health practitioners in Brixton in to begin a Health Group please email info@transitiontownbrixton.org

Conferences on Climate Change and Health

29 October 2007. Next in a series of evening conferences on Climate Change and Health, arranged by the Royal Society of Medicine, London. Details at http://www.rsm.ac.uk/academ/xa-climate-b.php

Can someone go?

Report Back from Royal Society of Medicine Talk on Action for Health Consequences of Climate Change 26 Nov 2007

The speakers were:

  • Anna Coote, Commissioner for Health, UK Sustainable Development Commission
  • Graham Bickler, Health Protection Agency

NB Emphasis was on the UK not the world as a whole

Some key points regarding action required:

  • The need to plan but also take care of today
  • The need to involve people in decisions
  • The NHS needs to:
    • Promote healthy and sustainable living - fresh local food, active travel ie walk or bike, protect green spaces, build green spaces into new and existing developments
    • Invest
    • Raise awareness
    • Locate health units to minimise travel (need to balance against economies of scale)
    • Be energy efficient
    • Use local suppliers
    • Locate health units to minimise travel
    • Reduce packaging and waste
    • Encourage use of public transport
  • The NHS has a big research budget but is not doing any research in this area
  • The NHS is setting up its own sustainability unit but it looks unlikely that it will 
  improve standards
  • Existing standards for buildings are not nearly strong enough

The most significant health impacts will be:

  • Increase in UV radiation leading to more skin cancer and cataracts
  • Heat and cold:
    • Temps above 30 degrees can cause heat rash, cramp and heat stroke. Need for measures:
      • Health warning systems
      • GP guidance
      • Roles and responsibilities for different levels and organisations from Met Office
      to care home owners
      • Surveillance system for sensitive people
      • Cool rooms in care homes
  • Floods
    • Water contamination, infections
    • Mental health effects

It is unclear whether any plans already cover these