Amid the U.N.’s climate summit in Glasgow this week, global leaders have made commitments to slash greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to combat the climate crisis.
Officials have pledged to support a few green initiatives at the COP26 conference, such as ending deforestation by 2030 and phasing out the use of coal power.
But some argue that mobilizing the healthcare sector is a vital measure to fight climate change. Extreme heat, natural disasters, and climate-induced infectious diseases all pose an immense threat to human health — yet, global health systems are responsible for 4.4% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
MedPage Today spoke with Gary Cohen, president and founder of Health Care Without Harm, about healthcare’s unique role in the climate crisis and the organization’s goals for COP26, ahead of the 2021 Conference on Health and Climate Change. The following is an edited transcript of the conversation. . .
Visit MedPageToday.com for the full interview.
