On Protecting Our Health and Our Planet
Photo by Steve Douglas
Last week, 42 major corporations, global healthcare professionals and the World Meteorological Organization (representing 193 member states and territories) commented on the need to address climate change.
Comments from leading corporations, in their letter to the US Congress and the Biden transition team, included:
"We support the United States’ return to the Paris Agreement, and we urge President-elect Biden and the new Congress to work together to enact ambitious, durable, bipartisan climate solutions.
"Our communities and our economy are enduring not only a devastating pandemic but also the rising costs of climate change. Record wildfires, flooding, hurricanes and other extreme weather are upending lives and livelihoods. And science makes clear that future generations will face far greater environmental, economic and health impacts unless we act now.
"Seeing the broad public support for clean energy and climate protection, and hearing the concerns of our investors, customers, communities, and employees, our companies view climate action as a business imperative.
"Meeting this global challenge requires strong, sustained leadership from Washington ... the United States must establish durable national policies that harness market forces, mobilize investment and innovation, and provide the certainty needed to plan for the long term. It is also vital that our climate policies meet the needs of marginalized communities, low-income households, and workers and communities disadvantaged by the energy transition."
Company list: Amazon, Bank of America, BASF, BHP, bp, Cargill, Carrier Corp., The Chemours Company, Citi, Danone, Dominion Energy, Dow Inc., DSM, DTE Energy, DuPont, Edison International, Entergy Corp., Exelon Corp., Ford, GM, Goldman Sachs, Google, HP Inc., IBM, Intel, Johnson Controls, JPMorgan Chase, LafargeHolcim, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, National Grid, Nestlé, NRG Energy, Ørsted Offshore, PG&E, PSEG, Schneider Electric, Shell, Total, Trane Technologies, Unilever, Walmart
On the "State of the Global Climate 2020" (World Meteorological Organization), Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas said:
“2020 has, unfortunately, been yet another extraordinary year for our climate.
"We saw new extreme temperatures on land, sea and especially in the Arctic. Wildfires consumed vast areas in Australia, Siberia, the US West Coast and South America, sending plumes of smoke circumnavigating the globe. We saw a record number of hurricanes in the Atlantic, including unprecedented back-to-back category 4 hurricanes in Central America in November. Flooding in parts of Africa and South East Asia led to massive population displacement and undermined food security for millions.”
Global Mean Temperature Continues to Rise (1850-2020)
From “The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change (2020)” by 35 global institutions including the World Health Organization, World Bank, University College London and Tsinghua University.
"Exposure to high temperatures and heatwaves results in a range of negative health impacts, from morbidity and mortality due to heat stress and heatstroke to exacerbations of cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
"The worst affected are those older than 65 years, those with disabilities or pre-existing medical conditions, those working outdoors or in non-cooled environments, and those living in regions already at the limits for human habitation."
Increasing Heatwave Exposure by Seniors +65, # days (1980 - 2020)
OUR TAKE
It is likely that climate policies will increasingly focus on 1) carbon limits, carbon trading, carbon taxes, 2) research subsidies, and 3) preferential treatment for renewable, clean / environmentally friendly offerings.
As stated in prior notes, addressing the economic/social impacts of climate change (business/property losses, health risks, etc.) will require adaptation and innovation in many areas (zoning, forestry, construction, material design, insurance, medical care, alternative energy. etc.)
Given some of the health profile similarities between COVID-19 and climate "at-risk" populations, the pandemic may provide useful lessons in managing climate-related healthcare challenges.