Health professionals call for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to protect lives of current and future generations
Lire la lettre en français | Leer la carta en español
The international scientific consensus is clear: to protect the health and lives of present and future generations we need a rapid, equitable phase-out of fossil fuels globally, so as not to exceed 1.5ºC of warming. We, the undersigned health professionals and organizations, call on governments around the world to develop and implement a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, laying out a legally binding global plan to:
End expansion of any new fossil fuel infrastructure and production by immediately ending activity and investment across all new or expanded fossil fuel exploration, extraction, and building of infrastructure, in line with the best available science.
Phase out existing production and use of fossil fuels in a fair and equitable manner in line with the 1.5C global climate goal. To address existing inequity, we call on high-income countries to provide financial, technological and other support to low- and middle-income countries in the move away from fossil fuels, ensuring the transition reduces poverty rather than exacerbating it.
Fast-track real solutions and ensure a just transition for every worker, community, and country creating a healthy and sustainable future for all. A just transition must respect Indigenous rights and the rights of local communities.
Like the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the proposed Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty would be an evidence-based international agreement to control a category of substances well-known to be harmful to human health. The health risks associated with fossil fuels are numerous.
Burning fossil fuels presents severe threats to human and planetary health.
Air pollution, most significantly from burning fossil fuels, is causing more than seven million premature deaths each year. It contributes to cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and cancers. Wildfires, made increasingly intense and common by climate change, add to this burden.
The climate crisis, largely caused by burning fossil fuels, is a critical health threat, exacerbating other health challenges and threatening health care systems.
The warming climate creates ideal conditions for the transmission of food and water-borne diseases and spread of vector-borne diseases, undermining decades of progress in global public health.
Climate change increases the risk of heat related illness and death, especially for very young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and older adults.
Droughts, floods, extreme weather events and sea level rise caused by climate change disrupt livelihoods, pollute water, jeopordize food security, damage infrastructure and force migration especially for populations living on small islands, coastal regions and low-lying areas.
Extreme weather events disrupt global medical supply chains and devastate healthcare facilities, severely impacting health workers’ ability to provide health care.
Climate change is taking a serious toll on mental health, exacerbating anxiety and depression, especially in young people.
There are also specific human and occupational health risks associated with every stage of fossil fuel operations including extraction, refining, manufacturing of by-products, transportation, distribution, and disposal of waste products.
Residential proximity to oil and gas extraction has been found to increase the incidence of respiratory ailments and poor birth outcomes, and is potentially associated with other health harms. Living near coal mines is associated with an increased risk of lung disease and cancers, and weeks lost from school and work. Extraction-related light and noise pollution, water use and pollution, ecosystem degradation, and habitat, livelihood, and community disruption also negatively impact health.
Proximity to petrochemical refineries, and exposure to facilities manufacturing other fossil fuel-derived products are associated with an increased risk of illnesses including childhood asthma and hematological malignancies.
Transportation of fossil fuels has a history of spills and explosions with acute and chronic health impacts for nearby communities and cleanup workers.
Safe disposal of fossil fuel waste products remains a challenge, as waste products contain substances with known health impacts, including heavy metals and toxic chemicals.
Workers at extractive sites and in refineries face additional unique health risks including severe respiratory diseases and highly malignant forms of cancer, as well as injuries from fires and blasts.
Communities in proximity to fossil fuel activity are subject to threats and violence, including but not exclusively when they seek to protect their lands, livelihoods and health. The severity and scale of these harms are amplified within Indigenous communities due to their unique linkages to the territories where they live.
The health risks and impacts of climate change, air pollution, and proximity to extraction and processing sites are not equally distributed. They fall most heavily on communities who are least historically responsible for fossil fuel emissions, with the most limited access to the resources and power needed for redress. This includes populations in the Global South, Indigenous peoples, people facing racial and other forms of discrimination, people experiencing poverty, people with chronic health conditions, and young people.
Phasing out fossil fuel use and extraction offers an opportunity to improve health and address health inequities. Expanding access to energy through distributed, resilient and affordable carbon-free renewable energy systems will have health benefits and will maximize energy savings and efficiency. Phasing out fossil fuels would prevent 3.6 million deaths due to ambient air pollution worldwide annually. The same cannot be said for proposed false solutions, such as carbon capture and storage, which do little to protect health and introduce new risks. To protect health, we need to phase out fossil fuels altogether, taking care to ensure renewable energy projects avoid creating new health risks.
Health professionals work hard to save lives. It is our duty to prioritize our patients’ safety, dignity and comfort and we are duty-bound to speak out about the serious global health risks posed by the continued extraction and use of fossil fuels. Efforts are underway to build low-carbon, sustainable health systems at both national and institutional levels, but to protect the health and lives of current and future generations, we must collectively do much more to rapidly reduce emissions.
Health professionals around the world recognize that all stages of the fossil fuel lifecycle present a grave and escalating threat to human health. We see this in our clinics and hospitals, caring for patients and communities suffering from health impacts of climate change, fossil fuel production, and air pollution. To protect the health of our patients and communities, now and in the future, we join the call for a global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The drafting of this letter was led by Global Climate Health Alliance, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Health Care Without Harm. A version of the letter with linked references is available here.
ORGANIZATION SIGNATORIES
GLOBAL
World Health Organization
Global Climate & Health Alliance
Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education
Health Care Without Harm
International Council of Psychologists
International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)
International Federation of Medical Students' AssocIations
International Pediatric Association
International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
International Primary Care Respiratory Group
International Society for Children's Health and Environment
International Society for Social Pediatrics and Child Health
International Society of Doctors for the Environment, ISDE
People's Health Movement
Planetary Health Report Card Initiative
Vital Strategies
World Federation of Public Health Associations
World Heart Federation
World Medical Association
ARGENTINA
Alianza Clima Vida y Salud Internacional
FLACSO (Latin American School of Social Sciences)
Movimiento Laudato Si' - Capítulo Argentina
Fundacion Cardiologica Argentina
AUSTRALIA
Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine
Australian Federation of Medical Women
Australian Health Promotion Association
Climate and Health Alliance
Healthy Futures
BELGIUM
Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)
Health for Future Belgium
BRAZIL
ACT Health Promotion
Health Hospitals Project
BULGARIA
Association Air for Health
CANADA
Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment/Association des infirmiers et infirmières pour l'environment
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Canadian Climate Psychiatry Alliance
Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity (CHAE)
Canadian Public Health Association / Association canadienne de santé publique
Canadian Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Climate Emergency Institute
Doctors for Planetary Health - West Coast
Dr. K. Goodall, psychological services, prof. Corp.
Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet GASP
Naturopathic Doctors for Environmental and Social Trust
Ontario Public Health Association
Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario
Synergie Santé Environnement
West Elgin Community Health Centre
CHILE
Agrupación de enfermeras ecologistas
Colegio Médico de Chile A.G.
Comite de Salud Ambiental Infantil-Chile
Cuadernos Mèdico Sociales
Laboratorio de Cambio Social, Ciudad Viva-Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
COLOMBIA
ANHE Latinoamérica
ESE Hospital Universitario de Santander
Fundación Clínica Infantil Club Noel
COSTA RICA
Asociación Proyecto Camino Verde
Centro Latinoamericano de Excelencia en Cambio Climático y Salud
FINLAND
Lääkärin sosiaalinen vastuu, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Finland (PSR Finland)
The Filipino Nurses Association in the Nordic Region
FRANCE
CHU La Réunion
GERMANY
Arbeitskreis Plastik und Nachhaltigkeit in der Dermatologie (APN)
Deutsche Allianz Klimawandel und Gesundheit - KLUG - e.V.
German Association of Epidemiology (DGEpi)
German Public Health Association
Global Climate Psychology For a Just Future
Health for Future
Pan African Health Systems Network
Health for Future Aachen
Global and Planetary Health working group, Institute for Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics and Informatics, Martin-Luther-University, Halle (Saale), Germany
GHANA
AbibiNsroma Foundation
GUINÉE
Carbone Guinée
INDIA
AIHMS-Global
Edward & Cynthia Institute of Public Health, India
Environment and child health group CIAP
Environment & Child Health Group, Indian Academy of Pediatrics
Healthy Energy Initiative - India (The Other Media)
Indian Institute for Peace Disarmament & Environmental Protection
Lung Care Foundation
Maharashtra Academy Of Pediatricians
MMBSHS Trust
Navi Mumbai Association Of Pediatrics
Public Health Foundation of India
SGA on environment and child health IPA
VIKASH-SAMUKHYA
Vydehi institute of dental sciences and research Center
Warrior Moms India
INDONESIA
Yayasan Alam Sehat Lestari
IRELAND
Irish Doctors for the Environment
Irish Global Health Network
Ryan Institute, University of Galway
Society for Social Medicine and Population Health
ITALY
ISDE, Associazione Medici per l'Ambiente Italia
CNAI Italian Nurses Association
European Confederation of Primary Care Pediatricians
KENYA
Africa Climate and Health Alliance
MALTA
St Anne Clinic
NETHERLANDS
De groene SEH; The Dutch EM Climate & Health Interest group
De Duurzame Verpleegkundige (The Sustainable Nurse)
European Public Health Association (EUPHA)
European Specialist Nurses Organisation
Zorginstituut Nederland
NEPAL
Health Environmentand Climate Action Foundation (HECAF360)
NEW ZEALAND
Public Health Association of New Zealand
OraTaiao:NZ Climate and Health Council
NIGERIA
Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) - CSOs Network
Amaclare Connect & Development Initiative (Our Lady of Perpetual Help initiaive)
Dr Uzo Adirieje Foundation (DUZAFOUND)
Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium (GET)
Nurses Across the Borders International
Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN)/Afrihealth Optonet Association (CSOs)
NORWAY
Norwegian Physicians' Campaign against Climate Change
PAKISTAN
Sukaar Welfare Organization
Youth Association for Development (YAD) Pakistan
PERU
IFMSA-PERU
PHILIPPINES
Dr. Arturo P. Pingoy Medical Center
RISE South East Asia Alliance for Health and Climate
St. Pauls Hospital of Iloilo, Inc.
QATAR
Qatar Medical Students' Association
SOMALIA
Action for Women and Children Concern(AWCC)
SOUTH AFRICA
groundWork, Friends of the Earth South Africa
SPAIN
Asociación Española de Pediatría
Comité, 48 Congreso de la Sociedad de Pediatria del Sureste
Pediatric Environmental Health Speciality Unit Murcia
medicusmundi españa
SWAZILAND
Youth and Women for Change
SWEDEN
Psychologist & Psychotherapists for Future Sweden
Swedish Doctors for the Environment
SWITZERLAND
Doctors for XR Switzerland
ErgoTERREapie
TAIWAN
Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology
TONGA
Clean Green Tonga Incorporated
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health
UGANDA
Amoru AIDS Support Community Initiative
Kikandwa Environmental Association
SAF-TESO
West Humanitarian Response Committee (WNHRC)
UNITED KINGDOM
Association of Clinical Psychologists, UK
Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH)
Bodriggy Health Centre
British and Irish Association of Stroke Physicians
British Geriatrics Society
British Medical Association
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare
Climate Acceptance Studios-Ride for their Lives
Climate and Health Scorecard Project
Doctors in Unite
Epilepsy Nurses Association (ESNA)
European Young Family Doctors' Movement (EYFDM - formerly Vasco da Faculty of Public Health
Gama Movement
Green at Bart’s Health
Green Health Wales
Leeds Medact
Intensive Care Society
Medact
The Medical Group
Mount Vernon Hospital
Nurses United UK
NHS Green Bees
Planetary Health Report Card
Primary Care Respiratory Society
Psych Declares
Royal College of Occupational Therapists
Royal College of Physicians
Royal Pharmaceutical Society
St Augustine's Surgery
Sustainable Exercise Partnership
Transport and Health Science Group
UK Faculty of Public Health
UK Health Alliance on Climate Change
Wyre Forest Health Partnership
Young People’s Health Special Interest Group, in association with Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine
Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
American College of Lifestyle Medicine
American Medical Women's Association Physicians Georgia Branch
Association of Academic Physiatrists
California Nurses for Environmental Health and Justice
Center for Climate Change and Health
Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility
Climate 911
Climate Code Blue
Climate for Health/ecoAmerica
Climate Health Now
Climate Psychiatry Alliance
Common Ground Rising
Concerned Health Professionals of New York
George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication
Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility
Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate
Health Promotion Consultants
The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health
Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action
Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate
NC Clinicians for Climate Action
New Hampshire Healthcare Workers for Climate Action
Physicians Against Red Meat (PhARM)
Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)
Physicians for Social Responsibility - Arizona Chapter
Physicians for Social Responsibility Iowa Chapter
Physicians for Social Responsibility - Maine
Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania
Physicians for Social Responsibility - Sacramento
Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin
Physicians for Social Responsibility - New York
Physicians for Social Responsibility- Los Angeles
Physicians for Social Responsibility Colorado
Public Health Advisory Council (PHAC), Climate Actions Campaign
Puerto Rico Clinicians for Climate Action
San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air
San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility
Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
South Carolina Health Professionals for Climate Action
Sustain Our Abilities
Texas Physicians for Social Responsibility
True Health Initiative
Vermont Climate And Health Alliance
Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility
Wisconsin Environmental Health Network
Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action
YLabs
VIETNAM
CHERAD (Center for Health Environment Management R&D
YEMEN
Yemen Public Health Association
ZIMBABWE
Centre for Natural Resource Governance