What does climate change have to do with healthcare?

It’s now official: the Swiss medical profession recognises climate change as a massive threat to health and wants to act accordingly. But what is the link between climate protection and the medical profession?

A healthy climate, healthy people

The well-known consequences of climate change include heatwaves, mild winters and flooding. However, people’s health is also directly affected by climate change. The adverse effects on health include an increase in allergies, infectious diseases and cardiovascular problems. This leads to the following conclusion: effective protection of the climate and nature is essential if we are to improve everyone’s health. The concept of ‘global health’ underlines this link between a healthy population and a healthy environment.

Strategy paper ‘Planetary Health – Strategy for action by the Swiss medical profession in the face of climate change

The Medical Chamber of the FMH is now marking a turning point towards a climate-friendly Swiss healthcare system. At its meeting in early October, the Medical Chamber approved a strategy document entitled ‘Planetary Health – Strategy for action by the Swiss medical profession in the face of climate change’. The document highlights the link between climate change and health, and commits the medical profession to taking action:

The press release states:

‘The FMH thus assumes the special responsibility of the medical profession to make an active commitment, on behalf of the Swiss medical profession, to the protection and promotion of public health in the context of climate change. The aim is a Swiss healthcare system that is sustainably healthy and climate-resilient’.

Young doctors committed to the fight against climate change

Young doctors are playing a key role in the Medical Chamber’s commitment to climate change. The swimsa and vsao associations, which represent medical students as well as assistant and senior doctors, have made a major contribution to this initiative. Swimsa and vsao, which represent the next generation of doctors, have been working on climate change issues for a long time and are campaigning for the medical profession to take a more assertive stance on the issues of climate change and health.

In a press release last November, swimsa and vsao clearly summarised their concerns:

‘Protecting and promoting health now depends more than ever on protecting the environment and combating climate change. Doctors, as the most trusted professional group in the world, have a particular responsibility.

Clear demands and ambitious objectives in the face of climate change

The members of the association Médecins pour la protection de l’environnement (Aefu) are also actively committed to climate protection and have already defined clear objectives and demands. They are calling for the healthcare sector to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. According to Aefu, the healthcare sector is responsible for at least 5% of greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland. Among their eight demands, they advocate a predominantly plant-based, locally sourced diet, a ban on agricultural products imported by air, and the systematic use of organic products in public hospital kitchens.