More heat victims, exotic infections, high levels of pollutants: climate change is putting a massive strain on health. Clinics, doctors and authorities must finally prepare for this, says Augsburg professor Elke Hertig.
Woman Hertig, at the climate conference the topic of health should now receive more attention, for example through a separate “Health Day” on December 3rd. Is that enough?
There will also be a “Health Pavilion” at COP 28 in Dubai, where a variety of health topics will be addressed over two weeks. This is important and makes me happy. The question, however, is whether it will ultimately remain a pure information event or actually lead to political decisions.
Prof. Dr. Elke Hertig is the Chair of Regional Climate Change and Health and Deputy Director of the Center for Climate Resilience at the University of Augsburg as well as the author of the Robert Koch Institute’s status report on climate change and health
What do you suspect?
This is difficult to estimate, but I am skeptical because we have not been very successful in other areas of climate protection efforts.