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[Video] How can our energy systems evolve to improve public health?

This month, researchers from six continents gathered in London to discuss health and climate change - including how the energy system can evolve to improve public health around the globe.

Lancet Countdown 

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


The interrelation of climate change and public health is becoming increasingly well-known. Indeed, in a report published in 2015 by The Lancet medical journal, researchers concluded that climate change represents “the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century”.

This month, researchers from six continents gathered in London to discuss global progress on health and climate change. Together, these researchers** represent an international research collaboration called “The Lancet Countdown”. Included in their discussions were the opportunities that exist to improve public health around the globe by moving to clean energy technologies [check out 1:30 of the video below].


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This collaboration was launched last November at the COP22 climate talks in Marrakesh and it will publish its first set of global indicators later this year before the COP23.

**The author of this article is also a researcher in this collaboration.