Doctors warn of climate change ‘global health catastrophe’

Unless climate change is tackled in the right way, 'a global health catastrophe' will hit the poorest people on earth the hardest, leading doctors from around the world warn today. Medics today heaped pressure on politicians for a radical change of mindset on climate change ahead of a key United Nations conference in Copenhagen. In an unusual move, two medical journals, the British Medical Journal and the Lancet calling for dramatic changes in policy and behaviour to greatly reduce carbon emissions. The doctors say that the world's poorest people will be hit first by the health effects of global warming, but add that "no one will be spared".

Their stark challenge to governments follows a report in May, which said climate change would represent "the biggest global health threat of the 21st century". Scientists have repeatedly warned climate change could affect health in many ways, ranging from malnutrition caused by drought to the risk of cholera from flooding and the spread of mosquito-borne disease to warmer areas. There will also be more problems with food supplies, clean water and sanitation, especially in developing countries, the study predicted. "Doctors must take a lead in speaking out," said the doctors' letter. "There is a real danger that politicians will be indecisive, especially in such turbulent economic times as these. "Should their response be weak, the results for international health could be catastrophic."They go on: "Doctors are still seen as respected and independent, largely trusted by their patients and the societies in which they practise ... As leaders of physicians across many countries, we call on doctors to demand that their politicians listen to the clear facts that have been identified in relation to climate change and act now to implement strategies that will benefit the health of communities worldwide."

The letter was signed by the presidents of 18 colleges of physicians or academies of medicine from the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Ireland, South Africa and Scotland. The appeal comes as momentum begins to build for the UN conference, which will be held in the Danish capital in December, and will see the world community attempt to draw up a comprehensive new climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto protocol. Its prime aim will be drastic worldwide cuts in the emissions of industrial gases such as carbon dioxide, which are causing the atmosphere to warm.

On Tuesday, Gordon Brown will be joining President Barack Obama for a climate change summit of world leaders in New York at the UN secretary general to try to kick of the negotiating process.