The UK is reversing its policies on climate change “without offering credible alternatives”, according to an alliance of Britain’s doctors, nurses and other health professionals.

Writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), they say that natural disasters, food and water insecurity, the spread of infectious diseases and forced migration “are already affecting human health and provide a glimpse of the near future”.

But they say that while globally there is progress on tackling climate change – with countries committing to curbing their emissions, religious leaders, such as the Pope, urging action and organisations committing to divesting from fossil fuels – the UK is bucking the positive trend.

Since being elected in May, the Conservative government has cut energy efficiency policies, closed or cut subsidy schemes for wind and solar power, and put a carbon tax on carbon-free renewable energy.

The alliance behind the article – published less than a fortnight before international climate talks in Paris – represent the trade body for UK doctors and medical students, the British Medical Association, plus eight Royal Colleges, the BMJ itself and leading health journal The Lancet.





They call for the UK government to end the use of unabated coal by 2023 to “improve air quality, protect the health of our population, and reclaim the UK’s leadership position in tackling climate change”.

Dr Robin Stott, co-author and co-chair of the Climate and Health Council, welcomed the government’s commitment to end the use of coal within 10 years, announced by energy and climate change secretary Amber Rudd on Wednesday.

“We’re delighted about the coal – it’s extremely useful to have coal removed from the source of power generation – but you have to contextualise it and for the government to reduce subsidies on renewables at the same time as having enormous subsidies for nuclear and pretty substantial subsides for other fossil fuels is completely crazy in my opinion.”

The article reads: “Substantial commitments to reduce carbon emissions from the US and China, Europe, and a host of high income countries form the basis of negotiations. Ten global cities representing 58 million people have drawn up ambitious plans to tackle climate change...

“Religious leaders, notably the Pope and the Dalai Lama, have called for urgent action, and the divestment movement has pledges from 400 organisations to move ... from fossil fuels to low carbon investment. The United Kingdom is bucking these positive trends, reversing and undoing many of its policies and programmes without offering credible alternatives.”

Stott added that the new alliance, UK Health Professionals Alliance to Combat Climate Change, represented “the first time significant numbers of senior health professionals in colleges representing large numbers of their members have come together to engage on climate change”. The organisation aims to take action on air pollution, transport, nutrition and the environmental footprint of the UK healthcare industry.

A spokesperson from the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: “Britain is fully committed to taking coal off the energy mix. We will be launching a consultation in the spring on when to close all unabated coal-fired power stations.

“We want a strong global deal in Paris and believe that the shift to a clean economy will bring benefits to populations in health and well-being, and security from averting the worst impacts of climate change.”