Health boss calls for residents to help tackle climate change

The news comes after Waseem Zaffar, Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust board member, said at the latest meeting it would be "highly ambitious" for the region to be Carbon-neutral by 2025.

Mr Zaffar has now called on individuals to make changes to tackle environmental issues.

He said: "We've got major environmental challenges.

"Each individual needs to take responsibility and every institution needs to take responsibility.

"We have a responsibility to leave this world in a far better way than we adopted it.

"NHS trusts need to lead by example.

"I think the target is brilliant, it's amazing, huge leadership from the trust that they really want to tackle this issue."

Mr Zaffar added: "Covid will be done very soon, we'll be over the pandemic but when we're on the other side we'll still have the issues around air quality.

"Where we've got poorer communities and poorer levels of air quality that's where we've had a disproportionate number of Covid-related incidents and deaths.

"This all brings to the front the importance of understanding the environmental issues.

"We need to have clear strategies in place for tackling climate change.

"For me, whatever date you set in the next few years, we have to do a lot of hard work, it can't wait.

"There has to be a real shift in focus towards the environmental impacts of every decision you make.

"There is a real risk that time is running out for us when it comes to this very very important issue.

"Institutions will do their bit, the Government will do their bit, but each and every one of us needs to think about our actions. How we travel, what we eat and how it impacts on the environment.

"The small changes we can make will have a big impact on the environment."