As the world continues to burn fossil fuels, heatwaves and air pollution are getting worse, and increasing the pressure on human health. This is exacerbating the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which comprise the lion’s share of the world’s disease burden, experts at COP28 said on the opening day of the summit on Thursday. “We […] Continue reading ->
Negotiators at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) must accelerate the end of fossil fuels, eliminate trillions in fossil fuel subsidies, and swiftly transition to clean, renewable energy to reap the health benefits of climate action, senior World Health Organization (WHO) officials urged at a press briefing on Tuesday. Despite the absence of explicit […] Continue reading ->
Almost all countries (91%) have included health considerations in their latest climate-mitigation plans – called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – but those that have already felt the effects of extreme weather events appear more likely to have more detailed plans. This is according to an analysis of countries’ 2022 NDCs, the main policy instrument to […] Continue reading ->
The world is on a trajectory to heat up by nearly 3°C this century unless governments take “relentless” action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report released Monday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Emissions Gap report, an annual assessment by UNEP that measures the difference between government pledges to […] Continue reading ->
With the annual United Nations (UN) climate conference, COP28, due to start at the end of the month, climate-vulnerable countries have reiterated that wealthy countries should cut down their carbon emissions, provide finance to vulnerable countries, and help with technology transfer so all countries can transition to a greener economy faster.  Meanwhile, recent meetings between […] Continue reading ->
In the worst week of air pollution in the Indian capital this winter, rural farm fires on average contributed to 25% of urban pollution concentrations. Hundreds of kilometres to the north, Punjab, the main source of the pollution, had missed a government-declared target to halve the number of seasonal crop stubble fires – although progress […] Continue reading ->
Amidst a global chorus calling for urgent action on climate change, major fossil fuel producers are doubling down on their plans to expand production, defying climate science and “throwing humanity’s future into question”, a UN report revealed on Wednesday. The report, compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with academic partners, scrutinized […] Continue reading ->
Snakebite is a complex and neglected issue that requires a multifactorial strategy, including conservation, community engagement, scientific research and robust healthcare delivery, according to experts who recently participated in a Global Health Matters podcast. In the most recent episode of Global Health Matters, host Garry Aslanyan speaks with Fan Hui Wen and Thea Litschka-Koen, snakebite […] Continue reading ->
Within hours, the Delhi government closed schools and announced traffic and construction curbs, but experts are questioning whether the government is tackling the right causes. Meanwhile, a database reporting the contribution of pollution from farm fires has been discontinued by the national government. The air quality forecast remains bleak. Delhi’s air pollution suddenly got a […] Continue reading ->