Global | New briefing: “Energy systems that protect climate and health”

Global | New briefing: “Energy systems that protect climate and health”

Health Care Without Harm is pleased to join other leading global health organizations in supporting the Health and Climate Network’s recently launched briefing on  “Energy systems that protect climate and health.” This is the second in a briefing series presenting the link between climate action and health. 

The paper puts forward policies regarding energy systems that can help tackle the climate crisis while also improving human health, allowing national governments to address two important challenges at the same time. Efforts to limit global heating to 1.5°C …

Read More »

India | Study finds healthcare professionals support climate action, role of health sector crucial

India | Study finds healthcare professionals support climate action, role of health sector crucial

The largest ever survey on climate change conducted among over 3000 healthcare professionals in India, has revealed that the health sector should play a crucial role in action and advocacy on climate change in India. Over 85% respondents believed that the healthcare sector has a responsibility to address climate change and reduce their own carbon footprint. 3062 healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, hospital administrators, Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) health staff and healthcare students were surveyed in this study conducted between …

Read More »

South Africa | Public health professionals call on government for climate leadership

South Africa | Public health professionals call on government for climate leadership

A group of prominent South African public health experts and practitioners has written to Finance Minister Tito Mboweni calling for stronger leadership from the South African government on climate, energy and health in building a post-COVID-19 South Africa.

In a letter to Minister Mboweni on 14 September 2020, the Climate, Energy and Health Special Interest Group of the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) writes that it is necessary to act now to combat climate change and build a new, resilient economy. The Special Interest Group has appealed to Minister …

Read More »

India | Report finds dangerous levels of PM2.5 and heavy metals in Bengaluru air

India | Report finds dangerous levels of PM2.5 and heavy metals in Bengaluru air

Press Release:

Heavy metal analysis of Bengaluru air reveals presence of extremely toxic chemicals in addition to high PM2.5 levels; Experts call for a well-defined health mitigation plan in addition to strict source specific pollution reduction action plan 

Bengaluru, 1 June 2020: A citizen led initiative to test Bengaluru’s air has found air quality in 20 out of 27 locations sampled from across the city between April to November, 2019 as unhealthy. The levels of PM 2.5 in the worst affected areas nearly ten times the national …

Read More »

South Africa | Environment Minister upholds that power company must comply with air pollution regulations

South Africa | Environment Minister upholds that power company must comply with air pollution regulations

Photo: © Mujahid Safodien-Greenpeace

Health Care Without Harm’s partner in South Africa, groundWork, as part of a coalition of community and civil society organizations, achieved an incremental victory for public health in the highly polluted Mpumalanga Highveld region when South Africa’s Environment Minister rejected the public power company Eskom’s objection to complying with air pollution regulations and upheld the enforcement action against the utility’s Kendal power station.

In her decision, Environment Minister Barbara Creecy stated that she is “mindful of the fact that failure to …

Read More »

India | Report: Korba’s coal communities suffer twice the normal respiratory diseases in times of COVID-19

India | Report: Korba’s coal communities suffer twice the normal respiratory diseases in times of COVID-19

Korba’s coal communities suffer from twice the normal respiratory diseases in times of COVID19: SHRC Chhattisgarh

3 April 2020, New Delhi/Raipur: Chhattisgarh’s State Health Resource Centre (SHRC) releases a new study which assesses the health impact on communities in Korba living near coal-fired thermal power plants. The study affirms the hypothesis that the population living near thermal power plants has greater exposure to particulate matter resulting in higher respiratory illnesses than the general population. At a time when the country is in a lockdown …

Read More »

India | Health care sector rises to the dual challenge of air pollution and climate change

India | Health care sector rises to the dual challenge of air pollution and climate change

Health Care Without Harm’s initiatives on air pollution and climate change have entered a time of dynamic growth around the world, as evidenced by our collaborative work in India. On a recent visit to India, Health Care Without Harm’s global team participated in three key activities organized by our partners that represented significant advances in the work in terms of scale and opportunity – at the central and state government level, with diverse actors in the health sector, and at the local and community level …

Read More »

South Africa | groundWork releases report on Just Transition, highlights health vulnerabilities and opportunities

South Africa | groundWork releases report on Just Transition, highlights health vulnerabilities and opportunities

In March Health Care Without Harm’s partner in South Africa, groundWork, together with its Life After Coal partners the Centre for Environmental Rights and EarthLife Africa JHB, launched their 2019 report titled Down to Zero: The politics of just transition.

The Down to Zero report examines the urgent need to respond to climate change, create a truly democratic and participatory order, and share our work and the wealth of the land.

Health is discussed throughout the report, including the range of health risks arising from climate change and air pollution, which …

Read More »

Philippines | Iloilo Hospital launches air quality monitoring to protect public health

Philippines | Iloilo Hospital launches air quality monitoring to protect public health

Originally published by Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia.

Iloilo City – Environment and health advocates led by St. Paul de Chartres, Health Care Without Harm and Philippine College of Chest Physicians gathered today at St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo to discuss impacts of air pollution on the environment.

Among the topics discussed are the sources of air pollution in Iloilo such as transport and coal plants.

“Plenty of patients are coming from the area where the coal plant is, and all of them are getting sick…”  Dr. Helen Caro-Pastolero, …

Read More »

India | Air Pollution Chokes Chennai – Doctors For Clean Air Urge City’s Inclusion in National Clean Air Programme

India | Air Pollution Chokes Chennai – Doctors For Clean Air Urge City’s Inclusion in National Clean Air Programme

Air quality in all 15 locations sampled from across the city between May and July 2019 was unhealthy, with levels of PM 2.5 in the worst affected areas nearly three times the national standard of 60 ug/m3, according to a study released by Healthy Energy Initiative and Doctors for Clean Air-Tamil Nadu. The widespread nature of pollution and the fact that the samples were taken in summer highlights how the current pollution crisis is neither an isolated nor a seasonal incident. The study analysed 24-hour …

Read More »