Australian Health Leadership on Climate Action: Policy Outlook
Report by the Climate and Health Alliance
July 2022
This report provides a snapshot of policy developments on climate change and health in Australia in 2022. It aims to build a common understanding of progress to date on climate and health policy, while also identifying opportunities for, and gaps in, health leadership on climate action. The report summarises the outcomes of the second Australian Health Leadership Roundtable on Climate Action, which took place on June 29th 2022.
Climate Action for a Healthy Future: Health Messages from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Mitigation of Climate Change
Report by the Climate and Health Alliance
May 2022
This report summarises the findings relevant to health and wellbeing from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. It is a resource for health stakeholders and policy-makers working at the intersection of climate change and health.
Which parties pass the health check? 2022 Federal Election Scorecard: Independent analysis of federal political parties' policies on climate change and health
Report by the Climate and Health Alliance
April 2022
This report assess where the major political parties stand on climate change and health. It covers a number of key recommendations and offers a concise comparison on important policy questions and is intended to showcase the level of commitment by parties on these key issues.
Climate Change is a Health Crisis: Health messages from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
Report by the Climate and Health Alliance
March 2022
The report summarises the key health messages from the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (which is 3600+ pages). It is intended to help health stakeholders and decision-makers to better interpret and integrate the information into action.
Climate Change and Australia's Healthcare System: A Review of Literature, Policy and Practice
Report prepared for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians by Monash Sustainable Development Institute, the Climate and Health Alliance, and the University of Melbourne
October 2021
The report is designed to provide Australia's peak healthcare organisations with evidence-based recommendations for Australian policymakers, health systems, health professionals and the communities they serve.
The report comprises of a systematic literature review, a policy and institutional analysis, a series of case studies, and an economic analysis.
Healthy, Regenerative and Just: Framework for a national strategy on climate, health and well-being for Australia
By the Climate and Health Alliance
October 2021
Led by the Climate and Health Alliance, health stakeholders and interdisciplinary experts have produced Healthy, Regenerative and Just – a framework for a national strategy on climate, health and well-being for Australia.
The framework presents an inclusive vision for coordinated action to support Australia to deliver on its obligations under the Paris Agreement and to do so in a way that promotes health and wellbeing, a regenerative economy, and social, environmental and cultural justice. It offers a comprehensive suite of recommendations across eight areas of policy action.
Real, Urgent & Now: Insights from health professionals on climate and health in Australia
By the Climate and Health Alliance
September 2021
The purpose of the report is to provide an overview of the insights gained from a national survey of Australian health professionals from diverse disciplines. The survey explored health professionals' engagement with climate change, their emotional response to the issue, exposure to climate-health impacts and solutions, their views on priority actions, as well as barriers and enablers to talking about climate change as a health professional and advocating for climate action.
Real, Urgent & Now: Communicating the health impacts of climate change
By the Climate and Health Alliance
May 2021
Australian health professionals know that effective communication is one of the most powerful tools they can use to protect and promote public health.
This Communication Guide is intended to help health professionals to speak with confidence about climate change and health, promote actions which reduce emissions and improve health, and advocate for climate action.
Australia in 2030: Possible alternative futures
By the Climate and Health Alliance
February 2021
This report presents narrative scenarios, including 'day-in-the-life' case studies of people, for five possible alternative futures. These scenarios were developed during the Rewrite the Future Roundtable Series along with our policy agenda below.
The five scenarios outlined in this report could await us in 2030, depending on the choices we make as a society. The Australia in 2030 report aims to help decision makers and the wider community better understand the consequences associated with different policy choices, and to build consensus around a shared vision for a healthy, regenerative and just future for all. Australia in 2030 was launched in Melbourne during the 2021 Sustainable Living Festival.
Healthy, Regenerative and Just: Our vision for a better future
By the Climate and Health Alliance
November 2020
The Healthy, Regenerative and Just policy agenda is a plan for governments to act on climate, protect our health and create a better future for all of us. This policy agenda was developed through the Rewrite the Future Roundtable Series, where 100+ thought leaders from diverse fields contributed to narrative descriptions of possible futures for Australia, including an integrated preferred future. These possible future scenarios are in the Australia in 2030 report above.
This policy agenda describes how we get to our preferred future, 'Our Island Home'. It builds on the 2017 Framework for a National Strategy on Climate Change, Health and Well-being, and adds a new area of policy action called 'Thriving Ecosystems' to recognise nature's role in underpinning human health and wellbeing.
Reference Resource: Social Workers for Climate Change Action
By the Climate and Health Alliance (written by Andrew Nicholson)
May 2020
This resource was written as a reference component of the Australian Association of Social Workers CPD course: Social Workers for Climate Change Action. Via its text summaries and hyperlinked references, it offers an overview of some of the key issues connecting potential social work roles to the nexus of climate change impacts, human and other species health and wellbeing.
Report: Experiences during COVID-19
By the Climate and Health Alliance
April 2020
CAHA ran a survey of 100 health professionals from diverse health backgrounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey sought to investigate their pandemic experiences, to understand their values during this time and what support they required now and into the future.
The Climate and Health Symposium Report
By the Climate and Health Alliance
September 2018
The 2018 Climate and Health Symposium was held in Melbourne on 21 September. Approximately 60 attendees from diverse backgrounds, including the health, government, industry, non-profit, academia and eNGO sectors, gathered to discuss climate and health in Australia. You can watch the video here.
This report provides an overview of the core themes that were discussed at the Symposium as well as opportunities for future collaboration and the priorities for immediate action.
Review of Health and Climate Change Literature
By the Climate and Health Alliance
June 2018
This report provides an overview of the evidence in relation to the health co-benefits associated with climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
It was commissioned by the City of Melbourne to inform them about the health and social benefits available from the implementation of initiatives to achieve the City's net zero emissions goal by 2050.
Human Health and Wellbeing Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Queensland
By the Climate and Health Alliance and National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
May 2018
The Queensland Department of Environment and Science engaged CAHA and NCCARF to develop a Human Health and Wellbeing Climate Adaptation Plan (H-CAP) with the health, aged care and childcare sectors in Queensland. This document outlines the process to develop the H-CAP and describes its scope. It provides an overview of existing policy, and outlines policy drivers and enablers, and case studies to inspire action. It also summarises the concerns of stakeholders in Queensland about the health impacts of climate change, in addition to the barriers, opportunities and pathways forward they saw for climate adaptation.
Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia
By the Climate and Health Alliance
June 2017
This report was a collaboration of 30+ health and medical organisations following a year-long national consultation. The framework was launched at Parliament House in Canberra in 2017. The Australian Labor Party committed to implementing a plan based on this Framework if elected to government in 2017 as did the Australian Greens. To date, there has been no such commitment from the Coalition.
Final Consultation Report: National consultation regarding a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia
By the Climate and Health Alliance
May 2017
This report details the full consultation process used to inform development of the Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being.
The consultation process comprised a survey on a National Strategy for Climate, Health and Well-being, a nine-day online forum, a health leaders roundtable, and meetings with parliamentarians in Canberra. The results demonstrate almost unanimous agreement among health professionals that there is urgent need for federal leadership and action.
Preliminary Report: Survey of health professionals' opinions around a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia
By the Climate and Health Alliance
September 2016
This report provides an overview of the responses to the online survey accompanying the Discussion Paper: Towards a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia.
These results represent the first national snapshot of the knowledge and views of health stakeholders on climate change, its health impacts, the health sector’s preparedness to deal with these impacts. The survey results reveal overwhelming concern among Australian health stakeholders about the lack of a national strategy to protect Australians from the health impacts of global warming.
Investing in Health: The Australian health professions and fossil fuel divestment
By the Climate and Health Alliance and Doctors for the Environment Australia
April 2016
This joint report presents the case for health and medical professionals and their organisations to divest from all fossil fuels and shift their financial resources to clean, healthy, low carbon investments.
Global Climate Change and Health Policy Survey Report
For the World Federation of Public Health Associations
November 2015
This report from the world's first global survey to evaluate how nations are responding to the health impacts of climate change revealed Australia lags well behind other industrialised nations in protecting its citizen from the major health risks associated with global warming.
The report for the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) outlines responses from 35 countries in the first-ever global benchmarking survey of national climate and health policy.
The Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) led the project working group, which includes experts from the WFPHA Environment Working Group/University of Illinois Chicago, Public Health Association of Australia, University of NSW, University of Notre Dame, and Health Care Without Harm.
Coal and Health in the Hunter: Lessons from one valley for the world
By the Climate and Health Alliance
February 2015
This report provides an insight into the evidence of the harm – local, national, and global – from coal production in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. It looks at the literature on the adverse impacts on physical and psychological health associated with the coal industry and climate change. It estimates the health costs associated with air pollution from coal in the Hunter, as well its social costs. The report includes four case studies.
Health and Energy Choices: Position paper
By the Climate and Health Alliance, the Public Health Association of Australia, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, National Toxics Network, Australian Medical Students' Association, Women's Health East and Services for Rural and Remote Allied Health
November 2014
This position paper was developed by a collaboration of health sector organisations in Australia that are concerned that the health impacts associated with fossil fuel energy projects are not being considered in public policy decision-making. In particular, the signatories are concerned about the profound risks to health posed by the expansion of coal mining and export and coal seam gas developments in Australia.
Health and Energy Choices: Background briefing
By the Climate and Health Alliance, the Public Health Association of Australia, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, National Toxics Network, Australian Medical Students' Association, Women's Health East, Services for Rural and Remote Allied Health and Women's Health East
November 2014
This background briefing accompanies the above paper paper to provide an overview of evidence on to the risks to human health and wellbeing associated with fossil fuel energy resources as well as their alternatives.
Joint Statement on the Health Effects of Coal in Australia
By the Climate and Health Alliance and the Climate Council
September 2014
This joint statement was released in response to the inquiry report on the Hazelwood coal mine fire in Victoria. It calls for health risks to be considered in all energy policy and investment decisions; independent air, water and soil quality monitoring at and around every coal mine and power station in Australia; and funding for research into health, social and environmental impacts of coal.
The Joint Statement accompanied the Climate Council's Briefing Paper on Coal and Health which outlines the scientific health and medical literature on the impacts on health from the production of coal.
Forum on Climate and Health: The research, policy and advocacy agenda
By the Climate and Health Alliance
November 2013
This report was produced following CAHA’s 2013 national forum to discuss the research, policy and advocacy agenda necessary to protect health from climate change in Australia and around the world.
The national forum brought together health and medical and climate researchers, public policy experts, academics, representatives from research institutions health professional groups, psychologists, community advocates, and students.
Greening the Healthcare Sector Policy Think Tank
By the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association and the Climate and Health Alliance
August 2013
This report summarises the latest national Think Tank on sustainability in healthcare. The Think Tank provided an opportunity to showcase some successful examples of sustainable healthcare initiatives from hospitals and health services across Australia – and through two international speakers, across the globe.
Transforming economics and governance for better health and sustainable societies
By the Climate and Health Alliance, the Public Health Association of Australia and Transform Australia
September 2012
This report provides a summary of the lessons from a workshop, held prior to the 2012 Population Health Congress.
Three main themes emerged from the discussion:
1. Citizen engagement and democratic reform
2. Economics to reflect the true value of nature and human health and wellbeing
3. Top down and bottom up action is needed - using a positive message to inspire change
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/caha/image/upload/v1441164404/Our-Uncashed-Dividend_small-215x300_k8y97d.jpg ";\")
Our Uncashed Dividend: The health benefits of climate action
By the Climate and Health Alliance and the Climate Institute
August 2012
This report draws together a large and growing body of health and medical research which shows the substantial health benefits of measures to cut emissions. It demonstrates that actions that cut carbon pollution can improve Australians' health and could save billions of dollars and thousands of lives each year. View the report launch here.
Climate and Health Clinic: Review of a novel health promotion initiative
By the Climate and Health Clinic project working group
April 2012
The report reviews a health promotion initiative at the 2012 Melbourne Sustainable Living Festival, where a pop-up 'Climate and Health Clinic' and staffed with volunteer 'health promoter' offered people the opportunity to develop their own 'prescription' for health and climate. This health promotion initiative was the of this kind for the parties involved.
Your Prescription for a Healthy Life and a Healthy Planet
By the Climate and Health Alliance
This tool for health professionals to assist with identifying actions patients can take to improve their health and reduce emissions at the same time. it focuses on four domains:
- Getting around (emissions reductions and health gains associated with transport)
- Home (energy use, energy conservation and energy efficiency)
- Food for thought (reducing emissions with healthy diets)
- Nature (highlighting the health and environmental benefits of re-engaging with nature)
These prescriptions have inspired and informed the Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne in developing a teaching tool in their global health program.