Australia's political engagement on health and climate change: the <i><scp>MJA</scp>–Lancet</i> Countdown indicator and implications for the future

Heenan, Maddie; Rychetnik, Lucie; Howse, Eloise; Beggs, Paul J.; Weeramanthri, Tarun; Armstrong, Fiona; Zhang, Ying

doi:10.5694/mja2.51857

Cited by 11 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Government engagement on health and climate change is an indication of the importance placed on the issue by decision makers. 94 This indicator reports on government engagement by tracking bills, legislation, committees and inquiries in the parliaments of the Commonwealth of Australia and all eight states and territories. In 2022, the Parliament of Australia continued to show little engagement on climate change as a health issue.…”

Section: Government Engagement In Health and Climate Changementioning

confidence: 99%

The 2023 report of theMJA–LancetCountdown on health and climate change: sustainability needed in Australia's health care sector

Beggs,

Trueck,

Linnenluecke

et al. 2024

Medical Journal of Australia

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Summary The MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change in Australia was established in 2017 and produced its first national assessment in 2018 and annual updates in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. It examines five broad domains: health hazards, exposures and impacts; adaptation, planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co‐benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. In this, the sixth report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown, we track progress on an extensive suite of indicators across these five domains, accessing and presenting the latest data and further refining and developing our analyses. Our results highlight the health and economic costs of inaction on health and climate change. A series of major flood events across the four eastern states of Australia in 2022 was the main contributor to insured losses from climate‐related catastrophes of $7.168 billion — the highest amount on record. The floods also directly caused 23 deaths and resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands of people. High red meat and processed meat consumption and insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables accounted for about half of the 87 166 diet‐related deaths in Australia in 2021. Correction of this imbalance would both save lives and reduce the heavy carbon footprint associated with meat production. We find signs of progress on health and climate change. Importantly, the Australian Government released Australia's first National Health and Climate Strategy, and the Government of Western Australia is preparing a Health Sector Adaptation Plan. We also find increasing action on, and engagement with, health and climate change at a community level, with the number of electric vehicle sales almost doubling in 2022 compared with 2021, and with a 65% increase in coverage of health and climate change in the media in 2022 compared with 2021. Overall, the urgency of substantial enhancements in Australia's mitigation and adaptation responses to the enormous health and climate change challenge cannot be overstated. Australia's energy system, and its health care sector, currently emit an unreasonable and unjust proportion of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As the Lancet Countdown enters its second and most critical phase in the leadup to 2030, the depth and breadth of our assessment of health and climate change will be augmented to increasingly examine Australia in its regional context, and to better measure and track key issues in Australia such as mental health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.

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Section: Government Engagement In Health and Climate Changementioning

confidence: 99%

The 2023 report of theMJA–LancetCountdown on health and climate change: sustainability needed in Australia's health care sector

Beggs,

Trueck,

Linnenluecke

et al. 2024

Medical Journal of Australia

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, these measures remain piecemeal and insufficient. 21 The pace and scale at which comprehensive change can occur within health systems is limited by the knowledge and skills of the health workforce. 20 Medical education can make an essential contribution.…”

Section: Integrating Planetary Health Perspectives: Medicine Fit For ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Health professionals, academic health institutions and health care services increasingly recognise their role in responding to the health impacts of climate change and environmentally unsustainable practices 19 . Doctors have responded by: providing emergency care following extreme weather events; contributing to disaster preparedness; 20 adapting models of health care to increase climate resilience and reduce emissions; 17 and advocating to government to implement the broader changes needed to secure a healthy and sustainable future 21 . As part of a larger movement of health professionals, these efforts have yielded broad recognition that climate change is a health issue, with ongoing development of a national strategy for climate change and health, adoption of more progressive energy policy, and establishment of Sustainable Healthcare Units in multiple jurisdictions.…”

Section: Integrating Planetary Health Perspectives: Medicine Fit For ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As part of a larger movement of health professionals, these efforts have yielded broad recognition that climate change is a health issue, with ongoing development of a national strategy for climate change and health, adoption of more progressive energy policy, and establishment of Sustainable Healthcare Units in multiple jurisdictions. However, these measures remain piecemeal and insufficient 21 . The pace and scale at which comprehensive change can occur within health systems is limited by the knowledge and skills of the health workforce 20…”

Section: Integrating Planetary Health Perspectives: Medicine Fit For ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Planetary health: a new standard for medical education

Pendrey,

Chanchlani,

Beaton

et al. 2023

Medical Journal of Australia

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“…Australia's first ever national health and climate strategy, when published, will be an important step forward — identifying areas to better prepare the Australian health system for the challenges presented by climate change 9,10 . Poised to host the United Nations climate change Conference of the Parties in 2026, our government can take further action between now and then to demonstrate the required leadership on this most important issue, and to better protect Australia and all its peoples.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australia a world leader in neglecting its responsibilities

Beggs,

Zhang

2023

Medical Journal of Australia

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Australia's political engagement on health and climate change: the MJA–Lancet Countdown indicator and implications for the future

Cited by 11 publications

References 15 publications

The 2023 report of theMJA–LancetCountdown on health and climate change: sustainability needed in Australia's health care sector

The 2023 report of theMJA–LancetCountdown on health and climate change: sustainability needed in Australia's health care sector

Planetary health: a new standard for medical education

The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australia a world leader in neglecting its responsibilities

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