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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