UEMO’s Position on Climate Change and Health

During the last UEMO General Assembly, held in Brussels 1st – 3rd June 2023, UEMO members have agreed on the finalization of a policy paper on Climate Change and Health. The aim of the document, whose drafting was led by Dr. Kevin Morisod  and Dr Daniel Widmer, representative for Switzerland, is to highlight the reasons why UEMO should contribute to the efforts on the newly introduced Climate Law.

As outlined in the document, there are eight key action areas where UEMO can contribute to mitigate the effects of climate change:

• Emphasise the need to address climate change as a health priority
• Encourage the adoption of sustainable practices among UEMO members and healthcare institutions
• Advocate for the equitable access of all individuals to the healthcare services
• Promote quaternary prevention principles in the healthcare sector and avoid medical overuse
• Through effective family medicine, ensure continuity of care to reduce the need for costly interventions
• Foster one-to-one dialogues to ensure that doctors have the chance to educate their patients on their health choices which directly have an impact on the environment
• Leverage on the existing EU and international network to raise awareness and discuss issues related to climate change and health
• Officially endorse the Climate Law to facilitate exchanges and engagement with policymakers

To read the full document, CLICK HERE