Medics should ‘lead by example’ on air quality

The medical profession should lead efforts to clean the UK’s air by reducing its own burden on pollution, according to UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (HACC).

In a report launched at London’s Royal College of Physicians on 18 October, HACC notes that the NHS employs 1.5 million people and puts its carbon footprint at 22.8 million tonnes of CO₂. “With this in consideration, the actions and advocacy measures adopted by health workers, for instance opting to commute to work via bicycle, would have a substantial impact on tackling climate change and air pollution,” it argues.