THE World Health Organisation has estimated that climate change is causing tens of thousands of deaths every year. These deaths arise from more frequent epidemics of diseases like cholera, the vastly expanded geographical distribution of diseases like dengue, and from extreme weather events, like heat waves and floods. At the same time, nearly seven million people each year die from diseases caused by air pollution such as lung cancer and stroke.

The WHO experts predict that, by 2030, climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths each year.

The COP21 held at Paris has proposed key actions for the implementation of the Paris agreement to reduce health risks linked to climate change. The conference highlighted the benefits of switching over to cleaner energy sources. These will help reduce levels of climate and air pollutants, as well as providing desperately needed power for health facilities in low-income countries. The health sector should themselves make a greater effort to promote low-carbon healthcare facilities and technologies; these can simultaneously improve service delivery and reduce costs as well as climate and environmental impacts.

In view of the above, there is a dire need for moving to more sustainable food production and healthier diets to improve the environment and reduce non-communicable diseases. There is a need to have diets rich in fruits and vegetables. Also, a new approach is needed to link health economies assessment and climate change.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2016