Stop fossil fuel use to end threat to global health, says WHO chief
A heavily polluted urban environment. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has voiced its support for efforts to phase out fossil fuels, saying, these sources of energy are a threat to global health.
The health impacts of climate change are increasing globally, compounded by disease outbreaks and global crises in energy, food, and cost of living.
The burning of fossil fuels is one of the key drivers of both climate change and air pollution and is responsible for the deaths of millions of people each year.
The changing climate is affecting the spread of infectious diseases, putting populations at higher risk of emerging diseases and co-epidemics.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has voiced its support for efforts to phase out fossil fuels, saying, these sources of energy are a threat to global health.
The sentiments expressed by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus were prompted by the release of this year’s Lancet Countdown report, which said continued dependence on fossil fuels is compounding health risks posed by multiple crises the world is facing — including Covid-19 pandemic fallouts, the war in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, as well as climate change.
