Constitution of the Climate and Health Council

Tackling Climate Change to Promote Health for All

Our remit is to mobilise health professionals to take action to limit climate change, which threatens to radically undermine the health of all peoples. Health professionals are in a particularly strong position to take action, as we have ethical responsibility to promote the circumstances which are most likely to generate good health as well as the capacity to influence people and our political representatives to take the necessary action.

In pursuing this remit, we will ensure that the constraint and control of CO₂ levels is coupled to a narrowing of the disparity between rich and poor: a transfer of resource will give headroom for low carbon development to the less affluent, particularly those living in the rapidly industrialising and yet-to-industrialise countries. As well as ensuring resources for appropriate development, this will lay the foundation for population stabilisation and a sustainable global society.

1. Aims and Objects

1.1 The name of the organisation is the Climate and Health Council (hereto after 'The Council'). The Council believes that climate change represents a fundamental threat to public health and wellbeing, and so to sustainable development. The Council thus aims to encourage and assist healthcare workers and organisations in taking urgent personal and organisational action on Climate Change.

1.2 The aims of the Council shall be delivered through five actions

Inform

- Articulating scenarios reflecting health consequences
- Articulating policies for mitigation
- Articulating policies for adaptation
- Articulating co-benefits of the above

Affirm

- By measuring personal carbon footprints and taking personal leadership in the field
- By influencing the behaviour of health care organisations

Advocate

- Advocate a global framework for action (with 'contraction and convergence' a favoured option), and seek the means to influence key decision makers

Innovate

- Enable the development of new associative structures through which the objectives can be delivered

Disseminate

- Engage in persuasive recruitment of as many organisations, institutions and individuals as possible.

2.1 In pursuance of these aims, the Council will take measures as deemed necessary, which shall include (but not be limited to) supporting meetings and seminars, and preparing educative material.

2.2 The Council will publish on its website an annual report for members on the work of the Council during the preceding year.

3. Membership

3.1 Membership shall consist of the following:

- All health organisations who sign our declaration, and encourage their own members to become individual members
- By measuring personal carbon footprints and taking personal leadership in the field
- By influencing the behaviour of health care organisations
- All health professionals and healthcare managers, whether currently employed, studying, or retired, who sign our declaration, and who commit to measuring and reducing their carbon footprint
- Enable the development of new associative structures through which the objectives can be delivered
- Honorary members co-opted by the Council.

3.2 Application for membership will require signature in support of the declaration. Membership will be confirmed by the secretariat, and is at the discretion of the Board, who retain the right to decline membership.

3.3 Membership will be for a defined period of three years.

3.4 Each organisational member AND each individual member has a single vote in postal ballots

4. Finances

4.1 The Council is an international organisation and part of a registered charity, Knowledge into Action.

4.2 There will be two types of membership, organisational and individual. Subscription rates for a year’s membership will be £50 for organisations, £10 for individuals.

4.3 The executive committee will seek to raise money from donors who have made demonstrable commitment to organisational carbon reduction.

4.4 Donors will be acknowledged publicly on the web

5. Executive Officers

5.1 The officers of the Council shall be:

5.1.1 A chairman

5.1.2 A vice-chairman

5.1.3 A treasurer

5.1.4 A secretary

5.2 The officers, except for the secretary, shall be elected by postal ballot at the Annual General Meeting.

5.2.1 Officers shall normally hold office for 3 years except in the case of the treasurer who shall hold office for 5 years. Officers may stand for reelection at the end of their period of office on not more than two consecutive occasions.

6. Board

6.1 The board will comprise up to 20 members, including the executive officers. Non-executive members will be chosen by the executive for their personal expertise and commitment to the aims of the council.

7. Constitution of the Council

7.1 The Executive Committee shall meet at least monthly. Every three months, following such meetings, there shall be a general meeting of the Board

7.1.2 Telephone and video conferencing facilities will be available, to minimise any travel to and from these meetings.

7.1.3 The wider membership can raise issues for Board discussion at these meetings by communicating with the secretary via email not less than seven days in advance

7.2 The Executive Committee shall be responsible for:

- The nomination of Executive Committee members
- The general and financial management of the Council
- All matters in the general interests of the Council
- The appointment of independent auditors.
- The appointment of a secretary.

7.3 The Executive Committee shall present a report and audited statement concerning the finances of the Council for the preceding year at every Annual General Meeting.

8. Annual General Meeting

8.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held each year on a date and at a time fixed by the Executive Committee and must:

- Receive from the Executive Committee a report balance sheet and statement of accounts for the preceding financial year and an estimate of the receipts and expenditure for the current financial year.
- Fill the vacancies in the Executive Committee in accordance with the results of any postal ballot, and appoint auditors for the ensuing year.
- Decide on any resolution which may be submitted to the meeting in the manner provided below.

8.2 The Executive Committee shall present a report and audited statement concerning the finances of the Council for the preceding year at every Annual General Meeting.

9. Notice of Business at Annual General Meeting

9.1 Any member who decides to move any resolution at the Annual General Meeting must give notice in writing to the secretary not later than 21 days before the date fixed for such meeting.

9.2 At least 21 days before the date of any Annual General Meeting the Executive Committee shall send to all members notice of any vacancies in the Executive Committee together with a postal ballot form for election to such vacancies and requiring return of such votes at least 7 days before the meeting.

10. Special General Meeting

The Executive Committee may call a special general meeting at any time for any special purpose and must do so immediately on a requisition in writing (stating the purposes for which the meeting is required) from any 10 individual members or one fifth of the total membership entitled to vote.

11. Notice of Meetings

At least 14 days’ notice of any general meeting, specifying the business to be transacted and the day, place, and hour of the meeting must be sent to every member by e mail his/her address, as given in the Council register. Detailsof such meetings must be posted on the website

12. Quorum

The Quorum for a meeting of the Board shall be at least six members.

13. Alteration of Constitution

The constitution may be revoked, added to, or altered by a majority comprising two thirds or more of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting of the Council, of which notice has duly been given under clause 9, specifying the intention to propose the revocation, addition, or alteration.