Media Contact
Joey Johnson, D.O., National President
American Medical Student Association
Email: [email protected]
AMSA believes that global warming is one of the greatest threats to public health and health equity in our time, and that all sectors of society, especially the health professional community, must play an active role in addressing the climate crisis.
STERLING, Virginia – June 3, 2017: The American Medical Student Association strongly condemns President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Agreement, citing extensive medical research that links global warming and greenhouse gas emissions to serious public health risks and worsening health disparities, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Scientific evidence demonstrates that climate change is linked to a rise in respiratory illnesses, vector-borne diseases, and heat-related illnesses. It also threatens essential aspects of public health and human survival, including access to food and clean water.
AMSA believes that stabilizing climate change in time to minimize harm to the global community will require reducing global warming emissions by at least 80 percent below current levels by 2050, with the ultimate goal of achieving net-zero emissions.
AMSA supports international agreements like the Paris Climate Change Agreement that promote climate stabilization, economic justice, sustainable development, and the expansion of global renewable energy infrastructure, particularly in developing nations. These agreements must also ensure that greenhouse gas reductions are proportional to available resources, current emissions output, and historical contributions to emissions.
Furthermore, AMSA maintains that climate stabilization efforts should not hinder economic development in poorer nations that are not responsible for the crisis. Instead, corporations, developed nations, and wealthy individuals worldwide should bear the primary financial responsibility for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. As one of the largest contributors to these emissions, the United States must take a leadership role in this commitment.
About AMSA:
AMSA is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online at http://amsa.org.
###