Hot Brain 3: climate change and brain health | UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology

Climate change continues to worsen: 2024 has been declared the hottest year on record. People with neurological disease are likely to be amongst those affected first and most severely. The incidence of some neurological diseases is likely to rise, whilst healthcare systems will become increasingly compromised in providing care for people affected. Newer aspects of climate change impacts are emerging, and raising new concerns. Climate change is already impacting the professional lives of healthcare providers and scientists. Even if greenhouse gas emissions are stopped today, there will still be further rises in global temperatures, with all their accompanying consequences. We need to act now to preserve brain health and plan for this changing environment.

Following on from successful meetings in 2023 and 2024, the aims of this year’s meeting are to raise awareness about the risks of climate change for the brain and neurological healthcare, to nurture global collaborative research, and to promote action against climate change and foster adaptation strategies.

Speakers include Agustin Ibanez (Professor in Global Brain Health at GBHI in Trinity College, Ireland), Eve Marder (Victor and Gwendolyn Beinfield Professor of Neuroscience, Brandeis University, USA), Marina Romanello (Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown, UCL) and Natalia Kurek (Deputy Director, Greener NHS, UK).

The meeting is jointly organised by UCL and The Lancet Neurology.

This will be a hybrid meeting. The face-to-face element will be held at UCL in London, UK. Virtual participation will enable people from around the world to take part without the expense and carbon emissions of long-distance travel. Approval is being sought from the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom.