Extinction Rebellion supporters in Oxford will be protesting outside a meeting of the world’s top health ministers and experts this week.

The environmental campaigners have condemned what they call “the very limited agenda” of the G7 meeting on Thursday and Friday this week. Thursday’s demonstration will be outside the Clarendon Building in Broad Street, where they will be be joined by a Samba band.

The meeting is set to discuss global health security, antimicrobial resistance, clinical trials, and digital health.

Campaigner Dr Angela Wilson said: “Unfortunately, the climate emergency and its implications for health are not being discussed by the G7. Climate change is the greatest threat to human health that we face. The G7 must fund a post pandemic recovery that protects the environment and reduces inequalities across the world.”

“Extinction Rebellion notes that there have been a number of reports indicating that the climate emergency has major impacts on health, globally. One report notes: “In the UK close to two million people live in homes in areas of significant river, surface water or coastal flooding and people living in properties the UK’s most deprived communities face higher increases in risk from flooding.

“Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must continue to be strengthened. Domestic emissions remain high – insulating housing has the twin benefits of reducing emissions and reducing cold and damp, improving health. However, programmes to insulate houses have been cut over the decade and active travel initiatives are not strong enough. In fact, budgets for cycling and walking have declined while road investment budgets increased.”

The group reported the Director General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, as saying: “The pandemic will end, but there is no vaccine for climate change. We have to act now, in solidarity, to prevent and prepare before it is too late.”