Planetary Health and Climate Change
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is committed to the health of the communities we serve and confronts HIV/AIDS, co-infections, and existing and emerging health threats that stand between EGPAF and our mission. Human health is inextricably linked to the health of our planet. It is evident that environmental damage, including that caused by climate change, is already adversely affecting human health and health systems, including increased HIV transmission, interruptions in treatment, and worsened health outcomes for people living with HIV.
Climate Change and the Fight for an AIDS-free Generation
As such, EGPAF is convinced of our moral obligation to assess our environmental impact, reduce it, and prepare responses to existing and upcoming health threats in service of our mission. EGPAF has signed the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations, developed by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which indicates our commitment to
- Stepping up our response to growing humanitarian needs and help people adapt to the impacts of the climate and environmental crises,
- Maximizing the environmental sustainability of our work and rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,
- Embracing the leadership of local actors and communities,
- Increasing our capacity to understand climate and environmental risks and develop evidence-based solutions,
- Working collaboratively across the humanitarian sector and beyond to strengthen climate and environmental action, and
- Using our influence to mobilize urgent and more ambitious climate action and environmental protection
Commitment to Planetary Health
EGPAF recognizes the role that planetary health plays in the health outcomes of the communities we serve, and will deepen this work in the coming years as we continue our fight for an AIDS-free generation.
