“Let’s imagine for a moment that a virus was spread through the digestive system. How much would the state of the water or the soil matter to us? ”This is one of the messages that the fourth vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (Miteco), Teresa Ribera, has launched during the second virtual meeting ‘GreenTalks’, organized by Gaceta Médica and Muy Interesante.
This meeting, moderated by the director of Muy Interesante, Enrique Coperías, aims to address the effects of the climate crisis on people’s health, as well as to promote awareness of environmental issues. Precisely, the impact of climate change has yet to stir social conscience: “There is a lack of connection that makes us reflect on what this means for infrastructures, the economy, or the loss of species”, stressed Ribera.
The link between air quality and cardiorespiratory diseases, the health risks associated with extreme temperatures or the relationship of the state of water, soils and ecosystem services with social well-being are some of the issues highlighted by the vice president. during the digital debate, which is supported by GSK. In this sense, assessing the environmental factors that influence the quality of life is a necessity that must be transmitted in order to “reconcile ourselves with the planet”.
“Man has sinned from pride or ignorance by not realizing that we live on a finite planet with a balance that, by breaking it, can put at risk many of the most important elements for our well-being and prosperity”
For the vice president, the link between the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 and zoonosis is a “very clear manifestation” of the impact of the climate crisis on people’s health. The loss of biodiversity in ecosystems prompts us to think “to what extent this broken balance can cause new pathogens to appear for which we are not prepared,” said the vice president.
You can see the full talk here
Policies that reduce the impact of the climate crisis
From the perspective of public administrations, COVID-19 has hit political strategies forcing the Government to integrate new forms of action. Faced with both challenges, the threat of the virus and the climate crisis, analyzing how environmental factors can influence the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the current challenges.
El Miteco is working, together with the Spanish scientific community, to examine the possibility that pollution and air quality are linked to the amplifying factors of the virus, or its prevalence and intensity in wastewater. The interrelation of environmental variants with the epidemiological and sanitary situation is one of the reasons that explains the existence of the Miteco Health and Environment Plan.
“There are aspects that, as they are studied, allow us to offer answers to citizens and public decision-makers to take the correct measures,” explained the vice president.
Simple and cross-cutting policies
In this sense, Ribera emphasizes that three public pillars are necessary to incorporate strategies that reduce this impact on health into the government agenda. Designing a strategy that allows ordering the set of policies in a transversal way is the first step, according to the vice president, who highlights the importance of establishing “very clear objectives regarding where we want to go”.
“We are living with an immense risk and we want to define it , decisions must be intuitive and simple,” he stressed.
Once the primary objectives are formed, assessing the sectoral policies that concern water, energy, sanitation policies, or soil is essential to be able to link them with society. To this end, Ribera insists on merging inclusion, prosperity and opportunities for innovation with climate action and health “in a natural way.” In this sense, the vice president proposes to rethink policies so that “they are oriented towards people, but also towards the environment.”
“A land policy that allows us to embrace all the advantages of capturing CO2 and at the same time preserving what we need from the soil, to give us food and to protect ecosystems,” Ribera specified as an example.
Compatible fiscal policy
The third pillar of the Government’s policies is established on the integration of a fiscal budgetary financial policy compatible with the previously detailed objectives. “The Government has a very great responsibility, but it is essential that each one of us think about how we can contribute to this shared objective,” Ribera said. A mutual purpose that is also strengthened by ” interest, not just altruism .”
In this context, the relationships between the determining actors in climate action make more sense than ever. The need to transfer investment decisions, financial costs or viability and employment is “determinant of success,” said the vice president.
The ‘Click’ of environmental awareness
Despite this, connecting with all parts of society continues to be a pending issue. Examples of environmental catastrophes in Spain such as Filomena or the collapse of the Mar Menor are some recent situations highlighted by Ribera.
“We did not just believe that this could really happen, we were not as prepared as we should and it worked badly in many cases,” he pointed out in these circumstances where “it is key to be able to anticipate reflections , in a more compatible way, with the risks that arise. he is willing to assume ”.
In this line, environmental education and prevention constitute the foundations of social awareness. Ribera highlights the evolution of environmental values and social demand in factors such as air quality, “practically unknown or forgotten for a long time and now very present in the public debate.”
Therefore, in order to promote sustainable awareness, the vice president advocates the collaboration of scientists, public administrations, media disseminators and civil society: “If we combine this link well, we can be successful.”
SUPPORT FOR
From sustainable awareness to action
The ‘Greentalks’ meeting provides a multidisciplinary perspective to examine the effects of the climate crisis from all areas. Companies like GSK have progressively worked to integrate sustainability into the DNA of the pharmaceutical company.
Taking responsibility for the carbon footprint registered by each company and reducing its own emissions “drastically” is the basis of this philosophy for the president and CEO of GSK Spain, Cristina Henríquez de Luna. In this sense, the person in charge defends business strategies aligned with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
“By 2030, we want to have a net zero impact on the climate and a positive net impact on nature,” Henríquez detailed during the second GreenTalks.
On the other hand, collaboration between key actors in climate action is essential to “move from sustainable awareness to sustainable action.” This has been assured by the vice president and director of Institutional Relations and Communication of GSK Spain, Guillermo De Juan.
When analyzing terms of health and sustainability, “normally, we only think about the effect it has on the patient,” said the expert. However, environmental strategies can encompass therapeutic, treatment or care options, among others. In this sense, awareness includes all sectors and all methods of action, where education and awareness are the lever that activates prevention in environmental terms.
