Climate change health crisis being worked on to counteract - The Mandarin

Climate change health crisis being worked on to counteract

How Australia’s health system can adapt to the mounting challenges of climate change, described by the WHO as ‘the greatest threat to global health this century’, is being examined by officials.

A roundtable for Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy was held in Canberra last week. Discussions examined what a shared national framework might look like to steer climate adaptation and resilience actions.

The consultation focused on how to deliver a three-year plan towards a more resilient and adaptive sector response to more frequent and severe weather events, extreme temperatures, and poor air quality, as well as measures to drive down emissions.

Preparing the national health and aged care sectors to reckon with the looming climate pressures is the focus of a new strategy led by MPs Ged Kearney and Jenny McAllister.

The assistant ministers, for health and aged care, and climate change and energy respectively, said priority actions would be identified through the consultation process.

“Our health and aged care sectors are already stretched and under pressure. Today we begin the process of working with partners to make sure they’re properly prepared for the future,” Kearney said.

“The health sector must be prepared but it also should be part of the solution. Our health and aged care sectors have a role to play in reducing their own carbon footprints.”

One hour until the first
#ClimateHealth Strategy roundtable kicks off!

CAHA CEO Roland Sapsford & founder
@farm_strong will be attending, along with various representatives from CAHA member orgs.

Congrats
@gedkearney @jennymcallister on your leadership. https://t.co/TY5X0zSniA

— Climate and Health Alliance (@healthy_climate)
March 10, 2023

The federal government will consult with state and territory counterparts, peak bodies and other NGOs in civil society to develop the National Climate Risk Assessment strategy.

McAllister said that with Australian communities already experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change, the government was committed to taking meaningful action to deal with its associated problems. There was no time to waste after almost a decade of inaction and dysfunction by lawmakers in this space, she added,

“[There are] more very hot days, more intense rainfall, and warmer averages,” the assistant minister said.

“The first Albanese budget made investments to help adapt, including funding to scope the first National Climate Risk Assessment.”

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