The impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on health and the environment, stressing that "water and air have no borders" and that "the damage Russia is causing to Ukraine, is damage to all of us", said Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou and Environment Commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius in a joint statement on the occasion of World Health Day.
"At a time when war in Europe is forcing millions of people to flee their homes and escape violence in precarious conditions, this event reminds us more than ever how fragile our health is and how interconnected it is with the health of our environment," the two Commissioners stressed.
As Kyriakidou and Sinkevicius underlined, the consequences of the Russian war in Ukraine have not only caused suffering to the Ukrainian people but also "affect food supply and threaten global food security".
"Widespread environmental damage, ranging from impacts on nature and pollution from oil spills to leakage of hazardous chemicals from exploded or unexploded ordnance, will impact the health of Ukrainian citizens for decades," they note.
They also referred to the ongoing pandemic at a time when cases of cancer, heart disease and asthma are on the rise due to environmental factors, as well as the impact of the pandemic on the health sector over the past two years.
Adding that the time for change has come since good health and longevity depend on a clean environment.
Adding that the time for change has come since good health and longevity depend on a clean environment. "Clean air and water, a healthy planet, clean oceans, forests and food systems are not a luxury" but "are vital for our survival" they said.
Over 13 million deaths around the world can be attributed to preventable environmental causes, according to the two commissioners.
"On the occasion of this World Health Day, we must move from talks, exchanges and debates to urgent action to ensure that the future of our planet is protected and that we can prosper," they noted.
Source: CNA
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