https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.124.8

Climate change, environmental damage and dwindling natural resources are significant and escalating problems which affect us all. The threat that climate change poses to the health of humans, other animals and plants cannot be ignored. This is being demonstrated globally by the melting of the polar ice sheets and locally by the milder winters we are having, coupled with more extreme weather such as heavy rain and flooding. The Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes (1970–2019)1 presented new data that between 1970 and 2019, there were more than 11 000 disasters attributed to weather, climate, and water- related hazards, which accounted for just over 2 million deaths and US$ 3.64 trillion in losses.

As noted by the World Health Organization2 the overall health effects of a changing climate are overwhelmingly negative. Climate change affects many of the social and environmental determinants of health and hygiene. These evolving health risk include:

• Temperature-related mortality and morbidity
• Air quality deterioration which exacerbates cardiovascular and respiratory disease
• Impacts of extreme events such as higher rainfall and rising sea levels which impact for example water-borne diseases such as cholera
• Food safety and nutrition
• Mental health and well-being

Physiology is an essential part of the scientific response as it helps us understand the consequences of climate change on the human body. As the science of how the body works, physiologists explain the impact of climate change on our health and productivity, and therefore the very future of our species.

COP26 is the 2021 United Nations climate change conference, and this year will be the 26th annual summit. It will bring together countries from across the world in what many believe to be the world’s best last chance to get climate change under control. Physiology is essential to finding solutions for people facing hotter temperatures, extreme weather, fires, and floods and air pollution.

For example, physiologists use their specific expertise to look at how humans respond and cope with extreme heat to develop proposals for physiological adaptation (or acclimatisation), behavioural, infrastructure, and technological adaptation which can also inform public health guidance

In preparation for this event The Society has launched its COP26 Hub. This hub highlights how physiologists, and their research are playing a key role in delivering on the mitigation and adaption goals for COP263. From furthering our understanding of adaption to heat and extreme weather, to maximising human health while reducing food and agricultural emissions, physiological research is helping the fight against climate change.

Explore our COP26 hub which contains:

• A collection of videos from our conferences and meetings on topics related to a changing climate.
• Research articles published in our journals around the topic of a changing climate.
• Articles from Physiology News such as ‘Ecophysiology and climate change, Shaping our understanding of animal form and function’.
• Projects and resources that our members are involved with
• Air pollution has long been one of the most severe forms of environmental damage. Air pollutants like Carbon Dioxide are causing the planet to heat up.

The Society has committed to an approach that seeks to incorporate environmental, social and governance into its business modelling. The Society has prepared a Responsible Investment Policy in line with guidance to asset owners provided by the UN Principles of Responsible Investment. The Policy aims to meet the expectations of The Society’s members regarding key ethical considerations related to investing, and how The Society should respond to challenges observed in the world today. At a minimum, and where feasible, The Society expects the Portfolio to be invested in enterprises that have credible and target-based plans to reduce their most materially harmful impacts on people and the planet. (‘Act to Avoid Harm’). The Society’s preference, however, is to strongly favour investing in enterprises that not only act to avoid harm, but also generate various effects on positive outcomes for people and the planet.

The Society believes there are some enterprises and industries that it would be incompatible for the Portfolio to invest into. Therefore, The Society is committed to excluding any investee enterprises that derive more than 5% of their revenues from the following sectors:

• Thermal coal
• Oil sand extraction
• Arms and weapons
• Retail of threatened species
• Tobacco
• Enterprises subject to severe environmental controversies related to pollution with no evidence of remedial action
• Palm Oil and Wood Pulp companies that do NOT adhere to such minimum social and environmental standards
• Production of drift nets > 2.5km
• Companies found to have violated one or more of the ten Principles of the UN Global Compact

The Society has already started to evolve and embrace new ways of working to remain relevant and sustainable. In the office we are reducing the environmental impact of The Society through the following measures

• Our electricity comes from 100% renewable sources
• Our lighting will be 100% LED, including office, communal and emergency lighting.
• Where possible, all stationary is from recycled sources (i.e., pens, paper).
• We have moved all our business processes to paperless.
• We operate the Cycle to Work schedule, which encourages green commuting
• In 2018 we improved the building energy efficiency and insulation with the new roof and
window secondary glazing.
• We recycle our waste
• We are opting for vegetarian

We are on a path to a net-zero future as we begin to develop The Society’s new strategy which sets out a framework to increase the Visibility of Physiology in an Inclusive and Sustainable manner.

References

1. World Meteorological Organization (2021). WMO Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from
Weather, Climate, and Water Extremes (1970–2019). Available at: library.
wmo.int/doc_num.php?explnum_id=10769
2. World Health Organization (2018). Climate change and health. Available at:
https://www.who.int/news-room/ fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health
3. UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021 (2021). COP26
Goals. Available at: ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/