Creative climate advocacy: Resources for health professionals

  • US & Canada

Health professionals have a vital role to play by calling attention to the many ways climate change impacts health. On March 12, three clinicians joined a Health Care Without Harm webinar to share the innovative ways they are mobilizing health care colleagues, drawing attention to the health impacts of climate change, and redefining health professional climate advocacy in the era of the climate crisis. 

Panelists shared their insights on demonstrating at Fire Drill Fridays, delivering inspirational “climate train talks,” forming clinician climate action groups, and calling on their institutions to divest from fossil fuels. 

View the recording and slides to take your climate advocacy efforts to the next level.

Resources to take your climate advocacy work further

  • The Climate Disobedience Center provides logistical, legal, and spiritual resources, on-the-ground assistance, and advice to climate activists. Health professionals are forming climate action groups with support from the center. 
  • Dr. Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, calls on health professionals worldwide to engage in nonviolent, social protest to demand solutions to protect patients from the climate crisis in this powerful video
  • Lancet Online First Viewpoint authors explore the ethics of health professional civil disobedience in response to the climate health emergency. They conclude that carefully planned, thoughtful civil disobedience falls within the realm of health professional climate advocacy, and they outline definitions of civil disobedience providing a set of ethical criteria to assist in decision-making. 
  • Doctors for Extinction Rebellion is a collective of physicians from a variety of specialties who have joined forces to fight climate change and promote planetary and public health. Extinction Rebellion is an international apolitical network using non-violent direct action to persuade governments to act justly on the climate crisis. 
  • A British Medical Journal editorial, “Investing in humanity: The BMJ's divestment campaign,” issues a call to action for health professionals and medical organizations worldwide to divest from fossil fuels and restore hope for the future well-being of our planet and human health. They also offer guidance to help individuals and organizations successfully divest. Visit the Health Care Without Harm Physician Network resource library for more information about fossil fuel divestment. 
  • Nurses, physicians, and other health professionals are drawing attention to the health impacts of climate change and demanding immediate, bold and ambitious climate solutions by participating in Fire Drill Fridays

Register for upcoming webinars at Greenhealth Academy.