Department of Health RESPONSE TO HUMAN HEALTH SECURITY LENS TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY

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1 Department of Health RESPONSE TO HUMAN HEALTH SECURITY LENS TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY ASEC. PAULYN JEAN ROSELLE - UBIAL Office for Technical Service

2 ISSUES First, health benefits for energy versus impact on public health? Second, best alternative energy sources? Third, policies existing health-driven energy

3 PHILIPPINES SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY. Non-renewable fossil fuels Renewable energy wind, hydro, solar etc - Fossil fuels like coal remains to be one of the country s energy resource - Most common /practical source of electricity

4 IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY GLOBALLY: essential to economic development. it is the fuel that drives the global economy HEALTH it provides light, powers medical equipment store vaccines and sterilize equipment. Etc Without electricity cause risk for mothers in childbirth and their babies during disasters, typhoons, flooding

5 IMPACT TO THE ENVIRONMENT The combustion phase of coal s life cycle releases a combination of toxic chemicals into the environment and contributes significantly to global warming. It releases sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (Pm), nitrogen oxides, mercury, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health. It contributes to smog through the release of oxides of nitrogen, which react with volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight to produce ground-level ozone, the primary ingredient in smog.

6 From: Golke, J. et al. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2008 June; 116 (6): A236 A237

7 2012 South East Asia and Western Pacific regions had the largest air pollution related disease burden Indoor air pollution million deaths to Outdoor air pollution- 2.6 million deaths 2015 World Health Assembly addressed the health impacts of air pollution as the world s largest single environmental health risk. Every year Indoor air pollution million deaths Outdoor air pollution million deaths

8 WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) DATA REVEALED A STRONGER LINK BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES For outdoor air pollution-caused deaths: 40% - ischaemic heart disease 40% - stroke 11% - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(copd) 6% - lung cancer 3% - acute lower respiratory infections in children For indoor air pollution-caused deaths 34% - stroke 26% - ischaemic heart disease 22% - acute lower respiratory infections in children 6% - lung cancer

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11 In the Philippines, four (4)of the ten (10) leading causes of deaths may be attributed to air pollutions Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of deaths killing % of all deaths Consistently remained as the top killer disease since 2000.

12 Stroke ranked as the 2 nd top killer disease resulting to 63.3 thousand deaths (11.1%) Lower respiratory diseases placed 3 rd resulting to 51.9 thousand deaths (9.1%) Also included at the ten leading causes is chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases at 16.4 thousand deaths (2.9%). (2)

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15 ISSUES/GAPS Renewable energy options are just becoming known in many regions Government policies and support systems are frequently biased in favor of conventional energy sources. New policies can have a dramatic impact on the pace of introduction of renewable energy Most renewable energy sources require a significant investment the early years of implementation Deployment, renewable energy options are typically more expensive than the conventional alternative SOURCE: Paper prepared for the REN21 Network by The Worldwatch Institute

16 WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION Raising awareness about the potential to save lives and reduce health costs if air pollution Strong cooperation between different sectors Integration of health concerns into all national, regional and local air pollution-related policies. Development of air quality monitoring systems and health registries Improve surveillance for all diseases related to air pollution,

17 WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION Promote clean fuels and technologies Strengthen international transfer of expertise, technologies and scientific data in the field of air pollution. Communities take measures to increase their resilience against the dangerous consequences of climate change that are already inevitable.

18 WHAT DOH CAN DO Strengthening health policy and energy Advocacy: to raise awareness that climate change is a fundamental threat to human health. Partnerships: to coordinate with partner agencies, and ensure that health is properly represented in the climate change agenda. Strenghten surveillance of diseases and data management Health system strengthening: to assess health vulnerabilities and build capacity to reduce health vulnerability to climate change. Science and evidence: to coordinate reviews of the scientific evidence on the links between climate change and health, and develop a national/global research agenda.

19 DOH Strengthen inter-agency collaboration and stakeholders through the Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health (IACEH) Air pollution and climate change are members of the thematic sectors. Asean Ministerial Meeting in 2015 through the National Environmental Health Action Plan. (NEHAP).

20 LOOKING FORWARD Providing energy to remote areas, RETs improve rural health for refrigeration of medicine, equipment sterilization, and safe disposal of medical waste. Integration of passive solar elements into the design of health care centers, and other health infrastructure can also reduce the demand for heating fuels, while improving indoor air quality. Assessment of wind and solar energy promotes more extensive use of renewable energy resources

21 HOPE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, HEALTH AND ENERGY Climate change already is affecting global health.... The good news is that clear health benefits are immediately available,... from low-carbon strategies that today could result in cleaner air,... or to more active transport options that can improve physical fitness,... ultimately saving lives and averting disease.

22 THANK YOU!