Healthy Planet's Training & Planning Day during the Medsin Leadership Weekend
When? 27th January 9am-5pm
Where? UCL ICH, 30 Guildford Street, London
We’ll be running a training and planning day on the second day of the Medsin Activities Weekend, where you can come along, meet us, have some training and find out more about what we'll be doing in 2013.
On the Sunday, we'll be doing quite a lot of the groundwork for projects going forward (one group working on schools/education, and one on NHS sustainability, both in conjunction with broader advocacy and awareness raising work). The plan is currently to work as one group for the first part of the morning (introductions and some training to get everyone to broadly the same point on climate and health and what Healthy Planet and our partner organisations have done in the past).
We'll then divide up into smaller groups focused on one of schools, medical school teaching and NHS sustainability, and each group will spend some time making sure they're clear on the current context/situation, upcoming events and opportunities, then discuss needs and strengths, and how best to go forward.
The progress we make during the day will serve as a starting point - each group will define their own (time-bound) objectives and action plans - as both individuals and as teams - for the next few months in their area.
Beyond these core areas of work, our other aims for 2013 include:
- strengthening partnerships with other health organizations in the UK and internationally, and with for example the UKYCC and Stop Climate Chaos Coalition,
- producing resources, policy statements and working with other groups to do so on specific issues such as climate-induced migration, loss and damage, adaptation etc.
- Preparing and resourcing a delegation for COP19 in Poland and potentially one or both of the intersessionals in Bonn before then (which is where much of the work actually goes on).
- Outreach work in local schools, colleges, community centres etc, explaining what we’re doing and why, and also using that and the responses we get and connections we make to inform our future work.
Where? UCL ICH, 30 Guildford Street, London
We’ll be running a training and planning day on the second day of the Medsin Activities Weekend, where you can come along, meet us, have some training and find out more about what we'll be doing in 2013.
On the Sunday, we'll be doing quite a lot of the groundwork for projects going forward (one group working on schools/education, and one on NHS sustainability, both in conjunction with broader advocacy and awareness raising work). The plan is currently to work as one group for the first part of the morning (introductions and some training to get everyone to broadly the same point on climate and health and what Healthy Planet and our partner organisations have done in the past).
We'll then divide up into smaller groups focused on one of schools, medical school teaching and NHS sustainability, and each group will spend some time making sure they're clear on the current context/situation, upcoming events and opportunities, then discuss needs and strengths, and how best to go forward.
The progress we make during the day will serve as a starting point - each group will define their own (time-bound) objectives and action plans - as both individuals and as teams - for the next few months in their area.
Beyond these core areas of work, our other aims for 2013 include:
- strengthening partnerships with other health organizations in the UK and internationally, and with for example the UKYCC and Stop Climate Chaos Coalition,
- producing resources, policy statements and working with other groups to do so on specific issues such as climate-induced migration, loss and damage, adaptation etc.
- Preparing and resourcing a delegation for COP19 in Poland and potentially one or both of the intersessionals in Bonn before then (which is where much of the work actually goes on).
- Outreach work in local schools, colleges, community centres etc, explaining what we’re doing and why, and also using that and the responses we get and connections we make to inform our future work.
Healthy Planet's Panel Event during COP18 - 'Climate change, global health, co-benefits and adaptation: What’s the way forward now?'
See Shuo's blog written after this event for some reflections on the event.

Details:
Thursday 29th November, 5.15-7pm, LSHTM Keppel Street, Manson Lecture Theatre
Background
A 2008 UCL-Lancet Commission called climate change ‘the biggest threat to global health of the 21st Century.’ And according to the WHO, the health impacts of disasters and climate sensitive diseases are more than 300 times greater in countries which cannot provide essential health services. This week, just ahead of the next climate summit COP18, the World Bank has produced a report highlighting the fact that we are currently on track to a world four degrees warmer by 2100 without rapid and concerted action; the report also makes clear that this prospect is inimical to both tacking both health inequity and poverty.
Objectives
This panel event aims to bring together leading experts (Prof. Anthony Costello, Hugh Montgomery, David Satterthwaite and Ian Roberts) from the fields of climate change and global health, the health co-benefits of low carbon policy strategies and climate adaptation and risk reduction, especially in urban contexts. The speakers gave some background to the topics and an overview of where we are currently in terms of climate policy.
The overall aim was to stimulate debate as to how we, as the health community and the wider public, can better engage in issues related to climate mitigation and adaptation – through the UN process and beyond it. It focused in particular on what we need to do to protect the health of the most vulnerable, and which approaches may be most useful. We are at a critical point in responding to this global challenge, and health is not only important in creating a better understanding of and engagement in the problem; it can and must also be part of the solution.
About the speakers
Prof. Hugh Montgomery
In addition to leading a research group in cardiovascular genetics and working as Professor of Intensive Care at UCL, in 2007 Hugh presented the annual Royal Institution Christmas Lecture ‘Back from the brink: the science of survival;’ he has been awarded the title of London Leader by the London Sustainable Development Commission for his work in climate change and health;; he was also a founding member of the UK’s Climate and Health Council.
Prof Anthony Costello
Anthony Costello is Professor of International Child Health and Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health based at the UCL Institute of Child Health. He has expertise in maternal and child health epidemiology and programmes in developing countries amongst much else, and he is currently researching the health effects of climate change.
Prof Ian Roberts
Ian is Professor of Epidemiology & Public Heath at LSHTM and the links between energy and health, particularly in relation to obesity and road traffic injuries, are one of his main research interests. He is the author, with Phil Edwards, of ‘The Energy Glut: the politics of fatness in an overheating world’.
Prof David Satterthwaite
David is Senior Fellow in Human Settlements and Team Leader for Urban Poverty and Local Organisations with the Institute for Environment and Development. His expertise is primarily in poverty reduction and environmental problems in urban areas, and is the Editor of the journal ‘Environment and Urbanisation’. He has significant expertise in climate change adaptation, including contributions to the last two IPCC’s Assessments. He is currently coordinating lead author for the Chapter on Adapting Cities in the current IPCC Asessement Report
Thursday 29th November, 5.15-7pm, LSHTM Keppel Street, Manson Lecture Theatre
Background
A 2008 UCL-Lancet Commission called climate change ‘the biggest threat to global health of the 21st Century.’ And according to the WHO, the health impacts of disasters and climate sensitive diseases are more than 300 times greater in countries which cannot provide essential health services. This week, just ahead of the next climate summit COP18, the World Bank has produced a report highlighting the fact that we are currently on track to a world four degrees warmer by 2100 without rapid and concerted action; the report also makes clear that this prospect is inimical to both tacking both health inequity and poverty.
Objectives
This panel event aims to bring together leading experts (Prof. Anthony Costello, Hugh Montgomery, David Satterthwaite and Ian Roberts) from the fields of climate change and global health, the health co-benefits of low carbon policy strategies and climate adaptation and risk reduction, especially in urban contexts. The speakers gave some background to the topics and an overview of where we are currently in terms of climate policy.
The overall aim was to stimulate debate as to how we, as the health community and the wider public, can better engage in issues related to climate mitigation and adaptation – through the UN process and beyond it. It focused in particular on what we need to do to protect the health of the most vulnerable, and which approaches may be most useful. We are at a critical point in responding to this global challenge, and health is not only important in creating a better understanding of and engagement in the problem; it can and must also be part of the solution.
About the speakers
Prof. Hugh Montgomery
In addition to leading a research group in cardiovascular genetics and working as Professor of Intensive Care at UCL, in 2007 Hugh presented the annual Royal Institution Christmas Lecture ‘Back from the brink: the science of survival;’ he has been awarded the title of London Leader by the London Sustainable Development Commission for his work in climate change and health;; he was also a founding member of the UK’s Climate and Health Council.
Prof Anthony Costello
Anthony Costello is Professor of International Child Health and Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health based at the UCL Institute of Child Health. He has expertise in maternal and child health epidemiology and programmes in developing countries amongst much else, and he is currently researching the health effects of climate change.
Prof Ian Roberts
Ian is Professor of Epidemiology & Public Heath at LSHTM and the links between energy and health, particularly in relation to obesity and road traffic injuries, are one of his main research interests. He is the author, with Phil Edwards, of ‘The Energy Glut: the politics of fatness in an overheating world’.
Prof David Satterthwaite
David is Senior Fellow in Human Settlements and Team Leader for Urban Poverty and Local Organisations with the Institute for Environment and Development. His expertise is primarily in poverty reduction and environmental problems in urban areas, and is the Editor of the journal ‘Environment and Urbanisation’. He has significant expertise in climate change adaptation, including contributions to the last two IPCC’s Assessments. He is currently coordinating lead author for the Chapter on Adapting Cities in the current IPCC Asessement Report
2C or 6C: What's the Plan?
An event co-organised with the UKYCC
5 December 2012, 19:00 - 21:00
http://www.danacentre.org.uk/events/2012/12/05/680
Why don’t we have a low-carbon society yet? Could climate campaigns be more effective? This panel of academics and campaigners - organised by UKYCC and Healthy Planet UK - was an interactive evening of talks and workshops exploring these key issues and shaping new ideas for action.
'Focus on the Positive'
A forthcoming project at the UCL Public Engagement Unit.
When? Tuesday, 30 October, 7.30pm
What? 6 UCL researchers pitched their science/technology projects and the audience voted for who gets awarded £2,000 to take their project forward and help to solve one of the world's problems!
Links to Healthy Planet? One of the projects is a pitch to work with inner-city primary schools and gardens - very exciting! This is something we hope to branch out into this year so a possible opportunity for collaboration.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-On-The-Positive/208715012583129?ref=ts&fref=ts
5 December 2012, 19:00 - 21:00
http://www.danacentre.org.uk/events/2012/12/05/680
Why don’t we have a low-carbon society yet? Could climate campaigns be more effective? This panel of academics and campaigners - organised by UKYCC and Healthy Planet UK - was an interactive evening of talks and workshops exploring these key issues and shaping new ideas for action.
'Focus on the Positive'
A forthcoming project at the UCL Public Engagement Unit.
When? Tuesday, 30 October, 7.30pm
What? 6 UCL researchers pitched their science/technology projects and the audience voted for who gets awarded £2,000 to take their project forward and help to solve one of the world's problems!
Links to Healthy Planet? One of the projects is a pitch to work with inner-city primary schools and gardens - very exciting! This is something we hope to branch out into this year so a possible opportunity for collaboration.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-On-The-Positive/208715012583129?ref=ts&fref=ts