Climate change and public health: a challenge and an opportunity

“Climate change is the biggest challenge that our civilisation has ever had to face up to.” This was the opening statement from Sir David King when he delivered an inaugural Distinguished Lecture on climate change and planetary health at the recent Public Health England Annual Conference. Sir David gave a powerful presentation that outlined the real risks to the planet and its populations from rising temperatures. He noted that there is a significant disparity in the level of emissions forecast between now and 2035 and the reduction in emissions we need to achieve in that timeframe; he also emphasised that climate change was linked to other planetary pressures such as deforestation, ocean acidification and potential food shortages which would also have direct implications for public health. For more information and for a video that Sir David gave, please see the PHE website.