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Environmental Awareness

IBFAN and WABA prepared this poster and its explanatory text in French, English and Spanish for the Rio+20 Conference in June 2012. Rio+20 is the name commonly given to the Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) which was organized by the United Nations in pursuance of General Assembly Resolution 64/236 (A/RES/64/236).
IBFAN and WABA have been campaigning since 1989 to share information and raise awareness on Breastfeeding – for healthier mothers and babies and a healthier planet. The text for the poster summarises in three languages the well-documented evidence that breastfeeding is environment-friendly,  as compared to formula feeding with its heavy burden on our environment.
Download text for RIO + 20 Poster :  English, Spanish , Portuguese , French

REPORT ON CARBON FOOTPRINT DUE TO MILK FORMULA

A study from selected countries of the Asia-Pacific region

To download the publications please click on the following link:

CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH – What on Earth has Infant Feeding got to do with Climate Change?

Breastfeeding protects our health and our planet – right from the start

Breastfeeding is the first step towards protecting human health, short- and long-term. It is also the first step towards protecting the health of our environment and conserving our planet’s scarce natural resources.
We need to start at the beginning, with infants and young children. Our babies and children are in no way responsible for climate change and environmental degradation, but instead they suffer the disastrous consequences.

Breastfeeding helps alleviate the suffering caused by natural disasters due to climate change

  • Breastfeeding helps mitigate global warming and environmental degradation that cause climate change
  • Breastfeeding optimises short and long-term health outcomes for mothers and babies
  • Breastfeeding economises our planet’s scarce natural resources : water, fuel and minerals
Download : English  , French , Spanish , Russian , Italian

Formula feeding is the formula for disaster for the environment, say experts!

BPNI / IBFAN Asia’s latest publication “Formula for Disaster: weighing the impact of formula feeding Vs breastfeeding on environment” is out now. The path breaking publication aims to raise awareness of the positive impact of breastfeeding on our environment and throws light on the negative impact of formula feeding.
This publication positions formula feeding as detrimental to global environment, whereas breastfeeding is positioned as healthier for mothers, children and the planet.
To download the publications please click on the following link: English Italian  , French
Letter to Pope Francis  Italian , Spanish , English (English translation by Jean-Pierre Allain)

IBFAN Submission on Children’s Rights and the Environment: 

The UN Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child is holding a ​ Day of General Discussion on children’s rights in relation to climate change as well as environmental toxicants:  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/Discussion2016.aspx

IBFAN’s Written Submission in preparation for this Day of General Discussion explains that every child’s right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health constitutes an inclusive right that extends to the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Read more about the negative impact on children’s health and development caused by environmental degradation and pollution as well as by global warming and climate change: IBFAN Submission on Children’s Rights and the Environment

‘Tiny Feet, Large Footprint’

The title of the article by Dutch Journalist Merel van GOOR den Held neatly encapsulates the evidence she presents that ‘A baby has tiny feet but infant formula leaves a large footprint.’ Her article, published in La Leche League’s Breastfeeding Today, examines how formula feeding increases carbon emissions and depletes scarce resources such as water, and cites IBFAN’s report Formula for Disaster.
The link to the article: http://breastfeedingtoday-llli.org/tiny-feet-large-footprint/​  which was first published in Dutch by Friends of the Earth in the Netherlands in their magazine called Down to Earth: www.downtoearthmagazine.nl

This article is now available in Spanish: 

Action Alert​

Campaigning for action on climate change

In December 2015 the United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place in Paris, France. The objective of the 2015 Conference is to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, from all nations of the world. Time is running out for the health and even the survival of our planet and all of its inhabitants, wildlife and humans. It is critical that decision makers are informed about and able to take action on each and every factor contributing to climate change, to global warming and environmental degradation. These include increased carbon emissions, depletion of water resources, pollution of our environment. Formula feeding contributes to all of these factors. Breastfeeding places none of these burdens on our Earth and instead safeguards the health of mothers, babies and our planet.

( The UN CCC is also called COP21 because it represents the 21st session of the Conference of Parties, COP, to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UNFCCC. Another name is the CMP11, or the 11th session of the Meeting of the Parties, CMP, to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. )

Read more….

  • Targets and interventions to mitigate climate change Download
  • Breastfeeding mitigates the health impacts of indoor and outdoor pollution Download
Submission to the OHCHR Study on Climate Change and the Right to Health, October 2015 

Infants and young children are the first victims of environmental degradation and global warming. Even the healthy development of the foetus during intrauterine life can be compromised by the impact of pollution and climate change. Optimal breastfeeding practices are crucial as they constitute the first step towards protecting human health, short- and long-term.Download

IBFAN’s statement about climate and health during the 136th session of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization , January 2015 Download
About the Rio+20 Conference