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Health workers to tackle climate change

  • Last modified date:
    7 April 2008

Health workers and local authorities are being encouraged to play their part in tackling the health effects of climate change, Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo announced today.

The climate change guidance documents issued today provide guidance on tackling climate change and promoting sustainable communities to further improve health and reduce health inequalities.

The aim is to help health workers plan how to mitigate and adapt to climate change. For example, the guidance documents give advice on how they can:

• design buildings that stay cool in the summer, warm in the winter and flood resilient

• reduce their carbon footprint and encourage others to do so

• protect the public further through continuing public awareness campaigns such as The Heatwave Plan

• raise awareness of climate change and the health effects.

The guidance documents underline that the UK needs to address the threat of climate change and adapt to it. Local health professionals are asked to consider the health impacts of climate change and are informed of how societies can adapt to the most severe impacts, such as heatwaves and flooding, with adequate planning.

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