The German Medical Assembly dedicated an entire session of its 125th meeting to the topic 'climate protection is health protection’ and thus underlined the importance of the linkage between the health sector and climate change. During the session, numerous members of the assembly stated that it is a medical duty to alert the population and our political leaders to the health risks resulting from climate change and to jointly work towards mitigating climate change and its impacts, as well as reducing the climate footprint of the health sector itself. It was made clear that climate change is a health emergency and we need to act quickly to protect people's health.
In her keynote speech on Planetary Health, Prof. Gabrysch highlighted that a healthy planet is indispensable for our health, as humans are one part of nature, and therefore taking better care of planet Earth is pivotal to our physical and mental health. She explained the risk of tipping points in the Earth system causing a cascade of events that could undermine the basis for our own survival and well-being. Prof. Gabrysch underlined the responsibility of medical doctors and other health professionals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the health sector and to become key actors in the societal transformation process towards a more sustainable and healthier world. The presentation of Prof. Gabrysch is available here.
During the assembly, a total of 37 motions on the health/climate nexus were passed. The entire protocol including these motions is available here (in German only).
An interview with Prof. Dr. Gabrysch during the assembly can be found here.
