Professor Mike Tipton MBE has been invited to speak at the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee’s discussion on physiology, health, and the fight against climate change
A University of Portsmouth researcher has been invited to speak to MPs in the House of Commons during a discussion on climate change.
Professor Mike Tipton MBE, from the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science’s Extreme Environments Group, is one of the leading physiologists worldwide in his area of expertise.
He has been asked to attend the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee’s event, ‘COP 27: Physiology, health, and the fight against climate change’, on Monday (28 November).
It will examine whether the 27th annual UN conference, which took place in Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this month, delivered on its promise to address pressing climate issues.
Professor Tipton has spent 35 years working in thermoregulation, environmental and occupational physiology and the selection, preparation and protection of those who enter extreme environments.
His research examines what happens to the human body when it is exposed to heat and cold and how to acclimatise people to extreme temperatures. He is a Trustee of The Physiological Society and is representing them as well as the University of Portsmouth at the event.
Recently he has contributed to a number of reports and meetings on climate change from The Physiological Society; the largest group of physiologists in Europe. The reports have highlighted policy priorities for Government in response to climate change’s impact on human health, as well as identifying areas of gaps in research that need to be addressed.
We need to move this problem up the political agenda before it is too late for the generations to come
Commenting on his invitation to speak at the Government committee meeting next week, Professor Tipton said: “This is an important opportunity to speak to national politicians about the existential threat of climate change and what physiology can do to mitigate and adapt to the serious health challenges, which are already with us and are set to get worse. We need to move this problem up the political agenda before it is too late for the generations to come.”
Founded in 1939, the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee is a major focus for scientific and technological issues providing a liaison between Parliamentarians and scientific bodies, science-based industry and the academic world.
Other speakers announced for Monday’s event are Madeleine Thomson, Head of Climate Impacts at the global charitable foundation Wellcome, Marina Romanello from University College London and Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown, and Sarah Ouanhnon, Senior Delivery Lead for the Greener NHS Programme at NHS England.
Members of the public are able to attend the event in person for free. Tickets are available here.