Time to admit that our health and climate crises are one

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on the Financial Times or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Health leaders are calling for a significant shift in climate discussions, emphasizing the need to integrate health considerations into climate action
• The upcoming COP28 in the United Arab Emirates is seen as a critical opportunity to address the health impacts of fossil fuel dependence and air pollution

🔭 The context: Historically, health has not been a central focus in climate talks, despite clear links between climate change, air pollution, and public health
• A report highlights that over 99% of the global population breathes air exceeding WHO guidelines, leading to 7 million premature deaths annually

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The health crisis caused by air pollution is directly tied to fossil fuel use, which is also the root cause of the climate crisis
• Addressing this at COP28 could lead to sustainable economies and a healthier global population

⏭️ What's next: COP28 leaders are urged to make clean air and the reduction of fossil fuels a core part of climate strategies
• The USA's Inflation Reduction Act and initiatives like the Breathe Cities are examples of how investments in clean energy can transform public health and climate change mitigation

💬 One quote: "Ignoring the threat [fossil fuels] pose to our health — especially in poor countries — is like spending all our time and money designing strategies to fight second-hand smoke without focusing on stopping people from smoking in the first place." (Gina McCarthy, first national climate adviser to the White House)

📈 One stat: International development funding and public climate finance have historically underinvested in combating air pollution, with only 1% and 2% of funds allocated, respectively

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