More than 200 health journals worldwide have emphasised that climate change and biodiversity loss is directly damaging human health, with vulnerable and impoverished communities bearing the most significant effects, facing rising temperatures, extreme weather events and the spread of infectious diseases.
Experts have collectively sounded the alarm, publishing a unified editorial that implores world leaders, health professionals and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to acknowledge and address these interlinked crises as a single global health emergency.
Treating these crises as separate challenges is a “dangerous mistake”, the authors said.
“It’s the serious, gravity and urgency of the problem that have led the journals to come together,” Dr Richard Smith, chairman of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, told The National.
“The destruction of nature and the climate is the major threat to health and is, indeed, an existential threat."
The intertwined crises have led to disruption in social and economic systems, causing essential resource shortages, exacerbating poverty, resulting in mass migration, conflicts and the emergence of new diseases and pandemics.
Dr Smith said: “This indivisible planetary crisis will have major effects on health as a result of the disruption of social and economic systems – shortages of land, shelter, food and water exacerbating poverty, which in turn will lead to mass migration and conflict.”
Kamran Abbasi, editor in chief of the British Medical Journal, emphasised the interconnected nature of these crises. He said: “The climate crisis and loss of biodiversity both damage human health and they are interlinked.
“That’s why we must consider them together and declare a global health emergency.”
To combat such challenges, the editorial calls on the WHO to declare the climate and biodiversity crises as a global health emergency before or at the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024.
“So far the global and usually national response to the destruction of nature and the climate has been adequate,” Dr Smith told The National.
“We need concerted action – as occurs when a country goes to war and all else is put to one side to counter a major threat. We need similar global emergency action to prevent the destruction of nature and the climate.
“We face a dangerous and hazardous future if this action is not taken.”
The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
