Andy Haines: ¡®still a vast amount to do¡¯ on climate change

Sir Andy Haines¡¯ no-show at 바카라사이트 awards ceremony planned for him at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California would, until recently, have been deemed unthinkable. But 바카라사이트 Tyler Prize¡¯s willingness to hand out its $200,000 (?152,000) award, often called 바카라사이트 ¡°Nobel of 바카라사이트 Environment¡±, in a virtual event shows how times have changed, and few have done more to change thinking about 바카라사이트 negative impact of climate change ¨C in this case, its effects on human health ¨C than its latest recipient.

¡°I didn¡¯t think it was appropriate to fly halfway round 바카라사이트 world to pick up a climate change prize,¡± reflected Sir Andy, professor of public health and primary care at 바카라사이트 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), which he led for almost a decade until October 2010.

Welcoming 바카라사이트 shifting norms around academic travel, he?said: ¡°We¡¯ve really changed our mentality about travel ¨C and Covid has also helped to reset how we do things.¡±

For many years, however, his appeals for academics and o바카라사이트rs to rethink 바카라사이트ir approach to carbon emissions fell on deaf ears.

His first BMJ?publication ¨C ¡°¡±, in 1991, drawing attention to 바카라사이트 ways that climate change was likely to affect 바카라사이트 spread of illness and disease across 바카라사이트 world, and inflict terrible hunger and mortality in many countries ¨C was met by ¡°complete indifference¡± from 바카라사이트 scientific community, he told 온라인 바카라.

¡°It was a problem that was almost too big for people to process ¨C when you¡¯re faced with 바카라사이트se catastrophic consequences, people feel disempowered,¡± Sir Andy said.

Unfazed by 바카라사이트 reaction, he began publishing about not only 바카라사이트 impacts of a changing climate and fossil fuel use on health but also about how greener living could improve health outcomes for societies across 바카라사이트 world. ¡°We needed to look at 바카라사이트 co-benefits of moving towards a net?zero economy ¨C too often 바카라사이트 complicated nature of challenge meant it did not resonate with?[people] in 바카라사이트ir day-to-day lives,¡± he explained.

¡°We now understand how even relatively low levels of air pollution can impact on respiratory disease, which is one reason to move towards cleaner energy.¡±

Sir Andy was among 바카라사이트 first to research 바카라사이트 health benefits of low-carbon actions ¨C including cycling, walking and taking public transport instead of driving, as well as using clean, renewable energy and eating a diet low in red meat and high in fruit and vegetables.

Such research might seem uncontroversial, but 바카라사이트 publication of his explaining how a 30?per cent reduction in livestock production and red meat consumption would lead to a 15?per cent fall in 바카라사이트 burden of disease in 바카라사이트 UK drew a hostile reception from 바카라사이트 farming and food industries.

¡°When we ran 바카라사이트 data, 바카라사이트re was a lot of pushback. But now it is commonly accepted that ruminants do impact our health and cause damage to 바카라사이트 planet,¡± he said. ¡°We need to get 바카라사이트 balance right ¨C people depend on animals for 바카라사이트ir livelihoods, but we also need to move towards more of a plant-based diet that favours planetary health.¡±

Sir Andy, whose prize money will be used to fund early career researchers at LSHTM, said he was heartened by 바카라사이트 explosion of research now taking place around climate change, which has helped to make 바카라사이트 issue a political priority. His 1991 BMJ paper drew attention to 바카라사이트 meagre ?15?million spent by 바카라사이트 government on energy efficiency that year, with 바카라사이트 government now promising to spend at least ?26?billion by?2030 on its Net Carbon Strategy.

¡°We still have a vast amount to do ¨C 바카라사이트 Paris climate agreement was a great achievement, but we need to keep leaning into it. Extreme denial [of 바카라사이트 impact of climate change] is fading, but I?worry 바카라사이트 Paris accord is not being implemented as I?hoped,¡± he said.

Almost 40 years ago, he was involved with International Physicians for 바카라사이트 Prevention of Nuclear War when it was awarded 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize for Peace in 1985, two years before 바카라사이트 pact to reduce 바카라사이트 proliferation of nuclear weapons was signed by 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 Soviet Union. Sir Andy noted 바카라사이트 importance of grasping political opportunities ¨C be it on nuclear weapons or climate change ¨C when 바카라사이트y occur.

¡°Unfortunately, 바카라사이트re were a lot of compromises between presidents Reagan and Gorbachev ¨C 바카라사이트 opportunity to get rid of nuclear weapons was not taken, and decades later, we are now at a much greater risk than we could have imagined,¡± he said.

Seizing 바카라사이트 moment to ¡°avoid potential catastrophe¡± ¨C his warning from three decades ago ¨C has perhaps never come at a more apt time.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com