Learning to treat the climate emergency together: social tipping interventions by the health community
Courtney Howard, Andrea J. MacNeill, Fintan Hughes, Lujain Alqodmani, Kate Charlesworth, Roberto de Almeida, Roger Harris, Bruno Jochum, Edward Maibach, Lwando Maki, Forbes McGain, Jeni Miller, Monica Nirmala, David Pencheon, Scott Robertson, Jodi D. Sherman, Joe Vipond, Hao Yin, Hugh Montgomery
Abstract
Accelerating the decarbonisation of local and national economies is a profound public health imperative. As trusted voices within communities around the world, health professionals and health organisations have enormous potential to influence the social and policy landscape in support of decarbonisation. We assembled a multidisciplinary, gender-balanced group of experts from six continents to develop a framework for maximising the social and policy influence of the health community on decarbonisation at the micro levels, meso levels, and macro levels of society. We identify practical, learning-by-doing approaches and networks to implement this strategic framework. Collectively, the actions of health-care workers can shift practice, finance, and power in ways that can transform the public narrative and influence investment, activate socioeconomic tipping points, and catalyse the rapid decarbonisation needed to protect health and health systems.