The newly released European State of the Climate 2024 annual report (ESOTC), co-published by the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation program and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), confirms what public health experts have long warned about: the health costs of climate change in Europe are rising fast, and so is the human toll.
HEAL has sent a letter to EU energy ministers ahead of their meeting on 27 June 2022, calling on them to
- Commit to a timeline and an ambitious deadline for the phasing out of all fossil fuels,
including fossil gas. A continued reliance on fossil fuels undermines the EU’s zero pollution
commitment included in the Green Deal, and accelerates climate change, when alternatives
exist. - Avoid false solutions in the process of becoming independent from Russian fossil fuels.
This includes investing into new fossil gas infrastructure, the promotion of wood burning or
prolonged coal power use, to name a few. - Fast track renewables and energy savings, especially in transport and buildings. Energy
savings, both the reduction in demand and greater efficiency, could bring huge health
benefits and address energy poverty.
