Having practised as a medical doctor, I know it’s imperative to base every intervention on solid evidence. That is why the recent report, ‘Cradle to Grave: The Health Toll of Fossil Fuels,’ published by the Global Health and Climate Alliance, is so important. It provides overwhelming evidence of the severe health crisis caused by coal, oil, and gas. This groundbreaking report details harm at every stage of the fossil fuel process, confirming that no one is exempt. World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows nearly all of the global population breathes air exceeding safe pollution limits. Yet the harm is far wider than just air quality: fossil fuel products contaminate our water and soil, leading to increased rates of cancer, heart disease, neurological illnesses, dementia and hormonal problems like infertility. Shockingly, even newborn babies have microplastics in their bodies traceable to this industry. The economic argument for fossil fuels is continually pushed by an industry that, much like Big Tobacco before it, spends vast sums on lobbying and misinformation. But the report exposes the true cost, revealing that governments and taxpayers effectively subsidise fossil fuels to the tune of $1.3 trillion annually. We’re paying to remain addicted to something that harms us from cradle to grave. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently affirmed that climate change harms human rights and that states have legal obligations to address it. Protecting the health of our communities and meeting these obligations means ending our dependence on fossil fuels. Instead of having socioeconomic political systems that are all about economic growth, we must start to re-orientate our goals towards well-being for all, developing a new set of metrics. In a world built around profit, health hasn’t even been part of the equation. It is high time to change this.The money should be moved away from fossil fuel and ill-health subsidies and into clean energy, a regenerative economy and well-being. Henceforth, these should be the metrics that define a successful society.
