World Health Day 2022

The quality of the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink all have an impact on our health, as does having access to green, outdoor spaces and safe living and working conditions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. To address this, we need to tackle the climate crisis, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

How climate change affects your health

The climate crisis is complex with wide-ranging effects. The health impacts are also wide ranging and can have serious consequences – for individuals as well as communities.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the climate and nature loss crises are also a health crisis,” says Dr Elton Dorkin, our Head of Health.

“We are already living with the impacts – the Coronavirus pandemic is one, as is the rising number of respiratory illnesses and deaths caused by air pollution; and the effect of extreme weather events - such as flooding and wildfires - on people’s physical and mental health.

“This, in turn, places ever greater demands on our health services and systems. Governments, businesses, communities and individuals all have a responsibility to act to create a healthier planet. Our lives and those of future generations depend on it.”

Taking a nature-based approach

The actions we’re taking as a company to tackle climate change and nature loss, operate safely and sustainably, and help communities thrive, all offer vital health and wellbeing benefits. And the work that our Nature-based Solutions & Ecosystems team is doing is a good example.

Ian Hudson, our Head of Nature-Based Solutions and Ecosystems, explains: “Nature plays a role in health and wellbeing both directly and indirectly. Directly, in terms of our actions on air, water, land and oceans, as well as in the way it provides the basic services that make human life possible.

“Indirectly, it plays a role through the 'green' restorative spaces that people need for wellbeing. We all know the difference that spending time in nature makes to us both physically and emotionally.

Protecting the landscape for the benefit of both people and wildlife

Our Woodsmith project is located in the North York Moors National Park in the UK and, when construction is finished, the project will be underground and hidden from view to minimise the impact on the natural landscape.

There are almost 100 planning conditions relating to the environment as part of the project planning permission.

Before each phase of construction, we are required to set out how we will adhere to these, to make sure impacts are limited across a range of environmental measurements - including lighting, noise, landscape, wildlife, ecology, and air quality.

Managing these well not only benefits the local wildlife but also contributes to the health and wellbeing of local residents and visitors. Learn more about the project here:

“As custodians of the land where we operate," says Ian, "We have a duty to protect, conserve and restore that land in ways that positively benefit both nature and the people who work and live there. This informs how we manage the whole ecosystem – from the water we use and how we deal with waste, to reducing dust and encouraging wildlife to flourish. We look at the environment in a holistic way and ask ourselves how we can ensure the net result of our actions is positive and beneficial.”

On World Health Day, the WHO is advocating making physical and environmental health and wellbeing an important part of our decision-making processes. At Anglo American, we strive to operate and live by those principles every day.