An action plan for tackling climate change
Dr Liz Marder, Treasurer and Chair of Climate Change Working Group
Alison Firth, Strategic Projects Manager
Climate Change Working Group
Why do we have an action plan?
Climate Change Working Group
Our journey – key milestones
May 2020
Member-led AGM motion
October 2020
Declared a climate emergency
March 2021
CCWG recruited and groups formed
September 2021
New RCPCH strategy with climate change as a priority
October 2021
Position statement published for COP26
January 2022
Climate Change Action Plan launched
Climate Change Working Group
Climate change action: a priority in the College strategy 2021-2024
The devastating impact of climate change on children and young people is one of the biggest challenges of our age. In autumn 2020, the College joined those declaring a climate emergency, divested from companies involved in the production of fossil fuels, and started to put a climate change plan, team and budget in place.
We will roll out our resulting climate change programme in earnest throughout 2021-2024. This will involve significant engagement with members, a resource hub on the website, and dedicated sessions at the College annual conference and other College forums.
We will collaborate with other healthcare organisations, promote research and advocacy on climate change and conduct a carbon audit of our own operations. We will also participate in the international climate change conference, COP26. Support for members on sustainable healthcare is also being planned along with making the College a Net Zero organisation by 2040
Climate Change Working Group
Governance and operational structure
July
August
October
Oversight Group
Liz Marder, RCPCH Treasurer
Staff Reference Group
Expert
Reference Group
Workstream 1
Advocating for change
Workstream 2
Research into CC impact on CYP
Workstream 3
Sustainable
building and resources
Workstream 4
Support for members
Workstream 5
International
Camilla Kingdon, RCPCH President
Rosie Spooner, CSH Fellow
Katie Knight
Katy Rose/ Shunmay Yeung
Helena Clements
Emily Payne
Bernadette O’Hare
Jo Revill, CEO
Alison Firth,
Staff lead
Set up Year
Sept ’20 - Aug ‘21
Year 1
Sept ’21 - Aug ‘22
Year 2
Sept ’22 - Aug ‘23
Year 3
Sept ’23 – Aug ‘24
Embedded in College activity
Board of Trustees
80 College members
Climate Change Working Group
Our action plan
Advocating for change
Research into the impact of CC on CYP
College Building and resources
Support for our members
International
RCPCH &Us climate changers
“It is every child’s right to grow up in a safe environment. And we have to prioritise this for future generations of children to thrive.”
Dr Bernie O’Hare, Chair CCWG International Workstream
RCPCH & Us
Climate Change Working Group
Our ambitions
To effectively use our collective voice and expertise as paediatricians to influence the national and international climate change agenda, focusing in particular on the health impacts faced by children and young people now and in the future
To advance research on the effects of climate change on child health inequalities and on the impacts of the climate crisis on young people’s physical and mental health
To reduce the carbon footprint associated with the College and develop an ambitious College plan for sustainability
To support members to advocate for improved sustainability in their clinical work and workplaces, supporting the ambition for the NHS to be net zero by 2040
To develop and promote training for our members on key aspects of sustainable healthcare and the climate crisis, including communication about this topic with patients and families
To advance and support the narrative that the climate crisis is a child rights crisis, and promote children and young people’s own advocacy on the climate crisis
Climate Change Working Group
CCWG: our activity highlights in Year 1
Published our action plan
Liz Marder elected onto UKHACC Executive
Launched Key Topic and resources on website
Ran a sustainable QI abstracts category at RCPCH conference 2022
Supported Ride for Their Lives
Supported move of our journal from paper to online
Published position statement on climate change and child health
Attended COP26 and networked with health/climate community
Held first virtual event on climate change and child health and follow up podcast
Four members cycled to raise money for our work
Lancet Countdown policy briefing with UKHACC and RCOG
Advocacy campaign on air quality targets
Climate Change Working Group
Our impact
Climate Change Working Group
Tracking progress
Our Year 1 commitments (38 actions)
Reviewing how we have done, and re-prioritising for Year 2 (2023)
Seeking additional funding for a Greener Paediatrics Clinical Fellow Programme to accelerate the pace on key projects
Climate Change Working Group
CCWG: our priorities for Year 2 and 3
Expand our policy and public affairs work
Publish toolkit on talking about air pollution with families
Carbon audit of the College and its activity
Identify research gaps about children and young people and climate change
Support formation of an international paediatric alliance on climate change and child health
Scope the development of education and training for RCPCH members
Embed sustainability across key areas of activity: events, publications, procurement
Carry out research and engagement projects with RCPCH&Us
Collaborate with adult respiratory care on sustainable inhaler use
Expand our resources for members on sustainable healthcare
Create a national network of climate and child health champions
Embed climate change action across the College
Climate Change Working Group
Lessons learned / top tips
Dedicated project manager
Embed in strategy
Senior leadership buy in
Engaged member group
Commit to a plan
Climate Change Working Group
Find out more about the RCPCH Climate Change Working Group
Don’t miss the growing repository of climate change resources on the RCPCH website. This includes:
www.rcpch.ac.uk/climatechange
Scan to visit our climate change webpages
Climate Change Working Group
We are the RCPCH Climate Change Working Group!
Climate Change Working Group