Topic:
Country: Denmark
Delegate Name: Jennasee Hollingworth
According to UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, climate change has passed the point of no return. As it worsens, public health becomes more vulnerable, especially for people living in poverty. The climate crisis is responsible for climbing rates of poor air quality, malnutrition, and dangerous living conditions, damaging public health globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that about 250,000 additional deaths occur annually due to the increased malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress caused by climate change.
To combat the climate crisis that is killing so many, Denmark has enacted the 2020 Climate Act. Its goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 in comparison to its levels in 1990. Denmark is also following European Union regulations concerning climate change such as reducing fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds by 2030 in comparison to 2009-2012 levels. Denmark also adopted the Danish Strategy for Adaptation to a Changing Climate in 2008, which focuses on 11 different vulnerabilities and identifies solutions and strategies to increase resilience. Later in 2012, the Action Plan for a Climate-Proof Denmark was implemented, which includes 64 initiatives for improving the climate adaptation framework, expanding knowledge, strengthening collaboration, advancing sustainability, and adapting international climate change impacts. Denmark is specifically impacted by the 20% in precipitation since the 1870s. Living conditions become more dangerous as the risk of flood rises.
Denmark encourages more urgency in climate change strategizing. The number of deaths per year due to the unbearable effects of climate will only worsen if action toward sustainable practices is not taken aggressively and promptly, and that action will not be effective without coordination between nations. Though many scientists have declared that the world is past the point of no return in terms of the climate crisis, Denmark believes that hope should not be lost. Even if the Earth cannot be restored to how it once was, it can still see dramatic improvement and we can still make an effort to stop worsening its condition. Only then will public health follow suit. Denmark acknowledges that our economic status and high quality of living create a very different perspective than nations with higher rates of poverty and that people living in poverty are disproportionately impacted by the health issues related to climate change. Denmark is very open to hearing perspectives from countries with higher poverty rates and collaborating with fellow members of NATO.
Works Cited
Climate and Clean Air Coalition. “Denmark | Climate & Clean Air Coalition.” Www.ccacoalition.org, www.ccacoalition.org/partners/denmark#:~:text=Denmark%20has%20ensured%20ambitious%20climate. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
International Energy Agency. “Denmark Climate Resilience Policy Indicator – Analysis.” IEA, Feb. 2023, www.iea.org/reports/denmark-climate-resilience-policy-indicator. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
United Nations. “Climate Crisis Past Point of No Return, Secretary-General Says, Listing Global Threats at General Assembly Consultation on “Our Common Agenda” Report | UN Press.” Press.un.org, 10 Mar. 2022, press.un.org/en/2022/sgsm21173.doc.htm. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
World Health Organization. “Climate Change.” Www.who.int, 12 Oct. 2023, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%203.6%20billion. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
