News from the Secretary, September 2005
International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE)
At present I am in Europe having just attended the General Assembly of ISDE which was held in Vienna. I will be making a full report to the AGM of Doctors for the Environment, Australia (DEA) in Canberra on November 26, but meanwhile I will provide for you some of the key messages that I bring from the meeting.
ISDE and Childhood Health
DEA is a member of ISDE and we pay annual dues for this privilege. The General Assembly of nation members of ISDE is held every 2 years. On this occasion there were some 15 representatives from a total membership of about 30. Each national organization works on national issues of importance to them and these tend to be diverse. However ISDE tries to coordinate efforts in a small number of international issues. The most important activity is in the sphere of child health and in particular the increasing threats to childhood development from pollution of the biosphere with persistent organic pollutants, dioxins, mercury etc. Chemical industries are not under control and are exporting their production and pollution to developing countries. ISDE is well represented in the EC, WHO and the UN on these issues and is holding seminars and teaching sessions on children’s health.
To me as a practicing physician, the topic of chemical pollution has seemed a “sleeper” in Australia but I have no doubt that research will confirm that our children are being affected as they are in all other developed countries by the swirl of these substances around the earth.
What action should DEA take? Firstly I suggest that we must increase our own knowledge on the topic and that of our members. To this end Mariann Lloyd-Smith of the National Toxics network was invited onto the DEA Management Committee earlier this year and she kindly accepted. The topic will be an Agenda item at the Canberra AGM and Mariann has been invited to lead this discussion. We have a number of paediatricians as members and I would encourage them to be involved in this issue and to this end I have arranged for each of them to receive the INCHES newsletter (The International Network on Children's Health, Environment and Safety) which was developed by Peter van den Hazel, member of the ISDE Board of Management. If you don’t wish to receive it you will be able to unsubscribe. There will be ample opportunity for our paediatricians to participate in this international effort if they so wish for NGO meetings are often held simultaneously with clinical and scientific meetings
ISDE and Climate Change
ISDE will also increase its activity in relation to climate change issues and has been invited by WHO to make a submission. Your organization, DEA will be assisting with this. On this visit to Europe I have also attended a meeting on Health and Climate Change in Wengen, Switzerland. The message is increasingly gloomy. The modeling continues to indicate that warming is accelerating. In detailed data for Europe, the Mediterranean countries will suffer most with up to 8 degree Celsius rises over the next 50 years in Spain and Portugal which will make their climate Saharan. Coupled with this is the evidence that Tony Blair may be about to do a U-turn on his support for greenhouse emission reduction as defined in the Kyoto Protocol (reported in the UK Independent newspaper on September 25). Presumably his position is becoming politically difficult with the UK public demonstrating about increased petrol prices rather than climate change.
ISDE and its role
Like many other NGO’s, ISDE is struggling financially and needs to maintain and increase its membership. A CEO was appointed for two years with the dual purpose of administration and fund raising. Inadequate funds were raised and existing funds have been spent. As result, ISDE will now operate as a network with several members of the Board taking on the administrative duties. However the outlook is positive for there are many dedicated members and the new President, Lillian Corra, from Argentina, has made big contributions to the improvement of child health in the countries of South America and will use her skills to enhance the contribution from ISDE. I have every confidence in her abilities
ISDE and Communication
Lillian Corra will lead an initiative to improve and increase communication between members and with the public. To this end the ISDE website will cull material from the national member’s web pages and include more educational material. It is hoped to attract an English speaking journalist to assist the President with this task. There are journalists around who voluntarily assist with such work, in the same way that we give our time voluntarily to DEA. I know that some have been recruited in Australia.
If members can think of possible names please send them to me. Potentially it could be a prestigious contribution for a journalist.
Conclusions
All the scientists and doctors that I met at meetings in Europe recognize the huge environmental problems that we must face and solve if humanity is to survive in its present form. It would be easy to “turn off” into home improvement or the footy as many of our fellow citizens and colleagues do. My response is that we must work harder at the issues before us. This is why ISDE and DEA exist and we thank each member of our increasing membership for their support
It is important that I confirm that no expenses are given by DEA for the attendance at meetings. All work done by your committees is voluntary. Your membership fees are used for Insurance, web page, office supplies, teleconferences and ISDE dues. Thank you for your continued support.
Climate Change and the ACF-AMA initiative
During my stay in Europe, a document “Addressing the Public Health Effects of Climate Change” has been released by the ACF and the AMA. Doctors for the Environment Australia welcomes this initiative and we will seek permission to place it on our web page.
David Shearman