What Australia must do to create a climate‐responsive health system

Abstract

COP‐28, the United Nations' Climate Change Conference, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, ended on 12 December 2023. At the convention, Australia released its National Health and Climate Strategy, committing to low‐carbon, climate‐responsive care. The Strategy will need new policies, projects and investments and a fit‐for‐purpose health workforce. This is a tall order considering healthcare's challenges. Everyone has a role, including clinicians, healthcare agencies, policymakers, politicians, patients and the providers and manufacturers in the supply chain. Clinicians' groups, policymakers and federal and state departments of health have an opportunity to lead climate change reform by considering climate change impacts across clinical practice and health policy.