April 16th, 2019
Several prominent Irish medical groups have called on the State to make the promotion of physical activity an integral part of the State’s climate policy.
In an open letter sent to the Taoiseach last week, the Irish Heart Foundation, the Irish Cancer Society, Diabetes Ireland, Irish Doctors for the Environment and the Association for Health Promotion Ireland have called for greater promotion of active travel by the State.
The leading medical bodies – joined by Cyclist.ie, the Irish
Cycling Advocacy Network and the Irish Pedestrian Network – want to see the
objectives of the Get Ireland Active plan integrated into the
country’s climate action strategy.
The physical activity plan was published in 2016 and suggests
ways for increasing physical activity to boost the well-being of the
population.
The importance of healthy activities including walking and
cycling as well as the impact of urban and rural planning in increasing those
actions has also been bolstered in the plan.
The plan also acknowledges the importance of sustainable
modes of travel for reducing CO2 emissions, limiting noise pollution and improving
air quality.
“We urge you Taoiseach to pledge that active travel targets will be embedded in the Health and Transport sections of the forthcoming Climate Action Plan and link clearly into the ‘All of Government’ approach being developed,” the letter states.
The letter adds: “As a qualified medical doctor, and a former Minister for both Health and Transport, you, Taoiseach, are in a unique position to appreciate the links between active transport, physical activity and health.”
The letter specifically calls on the Minister for Transport
Shane Ross TD to allocate more funding toward cycling and walking to boost health
and curtail global warming.
“[Funding] needs to increase to meet the United Nations Environment
Programme recommended levels of at least 10 per cent, and with at least 20 per
cent recommended for cycling and walking,” the letter reads.
Tim Collins, CEO of the Irish Heart Foundation, said that high
levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with a “147 per cent increase in
the risk of heart disease and stroke”.
“By merging active travel measures with climate targets,
there is considerable scope to replace car journeys with walking and cycling to
bring about a range of benefits for health and climate change,” he said.
Outlining the crucial role of active travel on the
environment, Irish Doctors for the Environment (IDE) has also written to State
officials that promoting sustainable commute is key to fighting climate change as
well as boosting the longevity of the Irish population.
The group wrote that increasing the budget for the
promotion of physical activity is also in line with the Sustainable Development
Goals.
A landmark report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on
Climate Action released yesterday calls on the Government to spend at least 10
per cent expenditure on cycling infrastructure.
Green
Party leader Eamon Ryan TD will host a briefing session this afternoon on key
elements of good transport planning and investment with transport experts Dr
David O’Connor and Dr Lorraine Darcy from the Technological University Dublin.
A Green Party motion calling for a reversal of the 2:1 transport spending split that favours road infrastructure over public transport will be debated in the Dail this evening.
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