Climate crisis poses ‘growing threat’ to health in UK, says expert

(The Guardian, 23 Oct 2022) Exclusive: Prof Dame Jenny Harries warns of dangers to food security, flooding and insect-borne diseases.

The climate crisis poses a “significant and growing threat” to health in the UK, the country’s most senior public health expert has warned.

Speaking to the Guardian, Prof Dame Jenny Harries, the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said there was a common misconception that a warmer climate would bring net health benefits due to milder winters. But the climate emergency would bring far wider-reaching health impacts, she said, with food security, flooding and mosquito-borne diseases posing threats.

“The heatwave this summer really brought home to people the direct impact,” said Harries. “But it’s the breadth of the impact. It’s not just the heat.”

Referring to the recent floods in Pakistan, Harries said the UK needed to build resilience to protect the population from the health impacts of extreme weather events.

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The Guardian, 23 Oct 2022: Climate crisis poses ‘growing threat’ to health in UK, says expert