Title: Civil Servants at Public Health Agency Face Disciplinary Action for Climate Activism
Subtitle: Employees advocating for prioritizing climate crisis health threats accused of violating state’s core values
Date: February 2023
A group of civil servants at the Public Health Agency are facing disciplinary action after engaging in climate activism within their workplace. The employees, including a civil servant who recently had trouble sleeping, had participated in a climate action protest at the agency, urging for the prioritization of health threats posed by the climate crisis.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has already described the climate crisis as the single biggest health threat facing humanity in a 2021 report. Heat waves, storms, food shortages, and the spread of bacteria, viruses, and parasites are already leading to diseases and deaths. However, the agency’s own report states that the world is still far from reaching the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In an email thread initiated by the concerned civil servant, discussions revolved around the need for the agency to communicate the health risks of climate change more clearly. Several colleagues agreed and proposed various measures, including raising the issue with the government.
However, after the email thread gained traction, five civil servants were called to individual meetings with managers at the agency. They were accused of being activists and violating the state’s core values. The managers argued that discussing such matters openly in an email thread was inappropriate and could negatively impact the working environment.
Critics of the disciplinary actions argue that it is the managers, not the employees, who violated the state’s core values by attempting to silence their concerns. Legal experts have stated that civil servants have the right to exercise freedom of speech and that reprisals, if any, should be directed towards the managers.
The employees have expressed frustration over the lack of opportunities to discuss the climate issue internally within the agency. They have attempted to initiate discussions through individual managers, but have been met with resistance or a lack of response. Previous attempts to establish a “Climate Initiative” within the agency were also rejected, further exacerbating their feelings of being silenced.
DN has reached out to the Public Health Agency for clarification. Patric Winther, head of department at the agency, emphasized that the purpose of the individual meetings was to address the work environment and internal discussion methods, rather than to silence employees. He expressed regret over the accusations of violating the state’s core values and stressed that the agency respects employees’ freedom of opinion.
As the climate crisis continues to escalate, the employees argue that it is crucial for government agencies, particularly ones responsible for public health, to take a leading role in addressing the issue and providing information to the public.
The controversy surrounding the disciplinary actions taken against the civil servants highlights the importance of open dialogue and collaboration in addressing the health threats posed by the climate crisis.