Health Impacts of the Climate Crisis

The climate crisis poses a range of challenges, not just to the UK, but to countries around the world. I appreciate your concerns over the health implications of climate change. However, I would like to reassure you that the Government is working hard to reduce these impacts.

Cross-departmental work is taking place to tackle some of the health implications of issues associated with climate change. Ministers are driving forward policies to improve air quality across a range of sectors, including funding local authorities to tackle air quality problems in their local areas through the Air Quality Grant scheme. In 2023-24, I understand that £6 million has been made available for local authorities to apply for funding to improve air quality in their areas. Funding for future years will remain under review.

To tackle the impacts of air pollution on public health, the UK Health Security Agency launched its Cleaner Air Programme to reduce people’s exposure, therefore tackling existing health inequalities, and improving outcomes for all. Furthermore, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has published a new Air Quality Strategy setting out the Government's expectations of how local authorities should deliver air quality improvement, and issued extensive policy and technical guidance for local authority practitioners. 

Finally, the Government has published a Global Health Framework for 2023-25 which sets out the actions the Government will take to build strong health systems across the world and tackle global health threats. This will strengthen global health security through improving the UK's preparedness and response to future epidemics, pandemics, drug-resistant infections, and climate change.