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Veterinarians and Climate Change
The Issue
Global disasters including uncontrollable wildfires, droughts, and widespread flooding, along with emerging zoonotic diseases, including COVID-19, clearly demonstrate the need for all medical professionals to work together in the spirit of ‘One Health’ to fight to improve and protect health for people, the environment, and animals.
Why it Matters
Climate change poses a global threat to human and animal health and veterinarians must be involved in addressing this threat. Climate change impacts the health of animals, people and the environment they share. Leaders of the veterinary profession must increase awareness of this issue among veterinarians and animal owners.
CVMA Action
The CVMA National Issues Committee works to identify and address ‘One Health’ issues and other veterinary issues connected to climate change.
2022:
- CVMA produced a new Position Statement on the Role of the Canadian Veterinary Profession in Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change.
- CVMA’s National Issues Forum will focus on “Natural Disasters and Veterinary Medicine” in July during the 2022 CVMA Convention.
- Proposals have been submitted for a potential renewal of the CVMA Green Initiative and the development of a new Position Statement on ‘Veterinarians, Climate Change and One Health’ to engage the profession and encourage advocacy (both are pending approval in March 2022).
2021:
- CVMA’s National Issues Forum held under the theme “Veterinarians as Leaders on Adaptation to Climate Change”.
March 2022