I am a primary
care physician and medical community organizer. I am writing to
represent the >600 health professionals across California who
are members of Climate Health Now, calling for the strongest
scenario Scoping Plan in the interest of health and
equity.
The World Health
Organization, the American Medical Association, the California
Medical Association all recognize that climate change is a health
crisis.
Climate policy is
health policy.
California's
health professionals community fully supports the EJAC’s
scoping plan recommendations.
To those who see
the most aggressive Scoping Plan scenario as too costly— this
would’ve been like saying a COVID vaccine was too expensive
to develop. We-- and CARB-- must lead with the long-term
vision that the climate crisis demands, by investing up front for
the enormous returns of health, equity and avoiding irreversible
tipping points.
Without our
health we have nothing. The COVID pandemic will pale in comparison
to ongoing climate change health impacts that the current,
insufficiently aggressive Scoping Plan will lead us-- and those who
follow us-- towards.
California’s nurses and doctors can’t
protect Californians from worsening heat waves, asthma and lung
disease, heart attacks and strokes triggered by fossil fuel
Pollution and global warming associated air pollution.
To those fossil
fuel business interests who are asking carb to go back to the
drawing board— this is a shameful delay tactic so they can
keep making money with business as usual.
Health equity
must be at the center of the Scoping Plan's top
priority-- not big oil’s profit
Interests, or those who would otherwise promote an untenable
business as usual.
If CARB has the
courage to adopt the EJAC’s recommendations as part of the
most-aggressive Scoping Plan this year, we will all be healthier
for it.
California’s health professionals recommend CARB
adopting the EJAC’s appropriately aggressive recommendations
in the face of our climate health emergency. Anything short of this
would deserve shame when looking in our
children’s eyes.
Thank
you.
Ashley McClure,
MD, FACP