Thread by @AndrewMakeTweet

Important question:

What is the obligation of health professionals, individually and as a community, in the face of climate emergency?

Here are my thoughts:

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Our first obligation is to understand what's going on and why it's relevant and important for our patients.

Do you understand climate emergency?

Do you know the health implications?

@ClimateHealthCx has this AWESOME physician guide. Check it out.

2/ climatehealthconnect.org/wp-content/upl…

@ClimateHealthCx Educating ourselves is important, and may be practice-changing as epidemiology and the natural history of disease changes.

But it can't stop there. We must also act beyond the clinical encounter. We already have public health obligations e.g. reporting infections or abuse. 3/

@ClimateHealthCx What are the extra-clinical actions to prevent full-on ecological destruction? Here are a few ideas:

First, join these *awesome* groups that are changing the narrative and building the power to confront climate emergency:
@sunrisemvmt
@350
@ExtinctionR

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@ClimateHealthCx @sunrisemvmt @350 @ExtinctionR Second, join ones specifically for health professionals.

There are a ton out there, but here's a few medical ones I've seen (please share more!):

@DoctorsXr
@PSRenvironment
@Medact
@DocsEnvAus
@CAPE_Doctors

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@ClimateHealthCx @sunrisemvmt @350 @ExtinctionR @DoctorsXr @PSRenvironment @Medact @DocsEnvAus @CAPE_Doctors But this moment is critical. It is all-hands-on-deck. We can't just show up.

Each of us must have the *initiative* to lead and organize as we can.

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@ClimateHealthCx @sunrisemvmt @350 @ExtinctionR @DoctorsXr @PSRenvironment @Medact @DocsEnvAus @CAPE_Doctors How can you organize? Here's a few ideas:

– Educate others (e.g. host a Grand Rounds on climate emergency and what @DoctorsXr is doing)

– Lobby your professional society to declare an emergency.

– Organize health workers in white coats and scrubs to attend actions. 7/

@ClimateHealthCx @sunrisemvmt @350 @ExtinctionR @DoctorsXr @PSRenvironment @Medact @DocsEnvAus @CAPE_Doctors Next week, @DoctorsXr is organizing online education sessions (below).

Before that was a civil disobedience action and a letter campaign that engaged 1700 health professionals.

Want to organize something similar? They're organizing globally. DM me to connect. 8/

@ClimateHealthCx @sunrisemvmt @350 @ExtinctionR @DoctorsXr @PSRenvironment @Medact @DocsEnvAus @CAPE_Doctors The US elections in 2020 have huge implications for all of humanity. @sunrisemvmt is organizing a mass army to influence the Dem primaries and ultimately the general election.

For now, do you know health workers or students in primary states? 9/

https://twitter.com/sunrisemvmt/status/1179077433556795393

@ClimateHealthCx @sunrisemvmt @350 @ExtinctionR @DoctorsXr @PSRenvironment @Medact @DocsEnvAus @CAPE_Doctors I'm not sure what the answer is for you, but I know that:
– The health professional voice has power
– It's weak when it's just a few professional leaders or environmental health experts
– We all must act and lead as we're able to, and prompt our peers to do the same

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@ClimateHealthCx @sunrisemvmt @350 @ExtinctionR @DoctorsXr @PSRenvironment @Medact @DocsEnvAus @CAPE_Doctors Also, @DoctorsXr has this action in London on October 12th!

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Do you know any health professionals who are activists organizing around climate emergency?

Are you one?

I’d like to connect, please help! DMs open.

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