Alice Munro: Cut fossil fuel investment to curb threat to health

Health organisations should stop investing in the fossil fuel industry and take action to limit the effects of climate change on health, says Alice Munro

At a time when the NHS is struggling to meet demand, it is easy to regard the health impact of climate change as less urgent than the immediate needs of patients. However, action now to limit the effects of climate change would also reduce demands on the health service and help us to meet the healthcare needs of future generations.

Climate change has been described by The Lancet as ‘potentially the greatest threat to health of the 21st century’. The numerous global health implications include the threat of extreme weather, food insecurity, altered disease transmission patterns, floods and droughts, and increased risk