Open Heart · 1 author, 1 centre
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This editorial, published simultaneously across over 200 health journals, argues that climate change and biodiversity loss constitute a single indivisible global health emergency and calls on the WHO to declare it as such before or at the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024.
This editorial, authored by editors of major health journals and published in over 200 outlets simultaneously, synthesizes evidence from prior studies to argue that climate change and biodiversity loss are intertwined crises with severe, compounding health impacts. The authors describe how ecosystem disruption leads to shortages of land, shelter, food, and water, exacerbating poverty, mass migration, and conflict. Access to green spaces is noted to reduce stress, loneliness, and depression. The authors highlight that health impacts are experienced unequally, with the most vulnerable bearing the highest burden. They call on the WHO to declare an indivisible climate and nature crisis a global health emergency, harmonise COP processes, and mobilise health professionals as advocates.
