Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) to Attend UN Climate Conference in Baku

Baku, Azerbaijan | November 7, 2024 — The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is sending a delegation of health professionals to the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 – 22, 2024. These climate-conscious doctors are ready to take the pulse of global climate action and call on Canada and world leaders to act with urgency. 

Background

COP29 will focus on climate finance, as trillions of dollars are needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives from worsening climate impacts. At COP29, CAPE’s delegation will call on Canada, as one of the world’s highest per capita emitters, to cut its fair share of emissions while also paying its historical climate debt to protect the health of people in Canada and around the world. The delegation will emphasize the direct link between health, justice, and the environment, both domestically and globally.

Recent statistics highlight the urgent need for action:

• In 2021, extreme heat waves in Canada resulted in over 600 excess deaths, the worst weather-related event in Canada’s history. 
• Wildfires in 2023 exposed millions of Canadians to hazardous air quality, leading to a 30% increase in emergency room visits for respiratory issues.
• Global climate-related disasters in 2023 caused over 8,000 deaths and affected more than 100 million people worldwide. 
• The WHO estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths worldwide per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress.
• Social, cultural, historical, and economic factors mean some communities and groups face disproportionate exposure to climate impacts and environmental hazards. These communities often bear an inequitable share of the costs associated with environmental policies and encounter significant barriers to participating in climate change and environmental decision-making. 
• Such injustices exist between and within countries. For example, First Nations communities comprise 5% of the people living in Canada, but 42% of wildfire evacuations.

These sobering figures underscore the critical importance of immediate and decisive climate action to protect public health.

Key Asks

Dr. Joe Vipond, emergency physician and CAPE Past President, states:  “The climate crisis is the greatest health threat of our time. At COP29, we’re demanding urgent action and prescribing a comprehensive treatment plan: immediate and deep cuts to fossil fuel emissions, an equitable transition to clean energy, and robust measures to shield communities from climate impacts.”

CAPE’s main campaign asks include:

1. Ensuring implementation of the emissions cap on the oil and gas sector is strong and immediate
2. Banning fossil fuel advertising to curb disinformation 
3. Accelerating the transition to 100% clean, renewable electricity
4. Prioritizing investment in climate adaptation measures to protect health.

CAPE Delegation and Events

The CAPE team at COP29 includes:

• Dr. Joe Vipond, emergency physician and CAPE Past President
• Dr. Mili Roy, ophthalmologist and Chair of CAPE Ontario
• Dr. Courtney Howard, emergency physician and Chair of CAPE Territories Committee
• Robb Barnes, Climate Program Director
• Leah Temper, PhD, Economic and Health Policy Program Director

CAPE will participate in the following events:

1. Canada Pavilion – Wed., Nov. 13 at 9am AZT (UTC+4) “The Essential Role of Health Professionals in Driving Climate Action,” with the Canadian Medical Association.
2. COP29 Health (WHO) Pavilion – Thurs., Nov. 14 at 3:30pm AZT “Why we need to stop promoting pollution: Health costs and impactful interventions for fossil fuels.” 
3. COP29 Health (WHO) Pavilion – Fri., Nov. 15 at 3:30pm AZT “Climate conversations: The essential role of health professionals in driving climate action” with the Canadian Medical Association.
4. UN Side Event –Mon., Nov. 18 at 9:30am AZT “Taxing Fossil Fuels to Pay for Public Goods: A Solution for People and Planet,” with the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA).
5. Canada Pavilion – Thurs., Nov. 19 at 9:00am AZT “How Playing Climate Defence Can Help Achieve Canada’s National Adaptation Targets.”

Additional Quotes

Dr. Mili Roy, Chair of CAPE Ontario, emphasizes:

“As physicians, we’re seeing the health impacts of climate change firsthand. From multiple climate-related illnesses to the mental health toll of climate anxiety, the diagnosis is clear: we need bold climate action now.”

Robb Barnes, Climate Program Director, adds:

“At COP29, we’re calling on Canada to lead by example. A fair emissions cap on the oil and gas sector could prevent 4,800 premature deaths in Canada. That’s a health intervention we can’t afford to ignore.”

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CAPE representatives are available for interviews throughout COP29. For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:

At COP29, Baku, Azerbaijan:

Robb Barnes, Climate Program Director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), 613-276-5753 (via Signal or WhatsApp), robb@cape.ca or media@cape.ca 

In Canada:

Reykia Fick, Communications Director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), 647-762-9168, media@cape.ca