Since 2017, CAHA has offered Climate and Health Champions training to support health professionals to become leaders in promoting climate action for health and well-being. Health professionals are trusted by the community and their voices can wield powerful influence. Health professionals can speak from evidence-based experience and help communicate their professional concerns to decision-makers and politicians. 

Our Climate and Health Champion training program is designed to support action at local, state, and national level. 

In 2020 and 2021, we ran training workshops for health professionals to coordinate action prior to the NT, Queensland and WA state elections. Together with the Climate and Health Champions, CAHA developed state-based election briefers outlining the key recommendations on climate-health policy initiatives for candidates in each state/territory. 

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Northern Territory Election Briefing: Heat, Climate Change, Health and the Need for Urgent Action

By the Climate and Health Alliance
July 2020

Health and social welfare groups, along with NT-based health professionals, are calling on the NT government and all NT election candidates to commit to urgently implementing a comprehensive Heat-Health Action Plan, adopting a Climate Change Act for the Northern Territory to facilitate rapid decarbonisation and limit the impacts of climate change on human health

This briefing includes a series of comprehensive policy recommendations, signed by 10 NT health and community groups, including Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, NT Council of Social Services, and Jesuit Social Services.

Download the NT briefing here.

 

 

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Queensland Election Briefing: Climate Change, Health and Well-being: Opportunities to Boost Resilience

By the Climate and Health Alliance
October 2020

This briefing calls on the Queensland government and all election candidates to support transitioning to 100% renewables by 2035; expanding solar installation on all public buildings; boosting heatwave readiness by ensuring adequate heat shelters or cooling centres for vulnerable individuals and groups; investing in community mental health programs; expanding reporting systems for climate-related health presentations in emergency departments; and developing a community education campaign on climate health impacts.

This briefing is signed by 5 health organisations, including Climate and Health Alliance, Public Health Association of Australia Queensland Branch, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, Social Workers for Climate Action and Doctors for the Environment Australia.

Download the QLD briefing here.

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Western Australia Election Briefing: Climate Change, Health and Wellbeing - Act Now

By the Climate and Health Alliance
March 2021

Western Australia (WA) is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and is already experiencing damaging consequences of climate change. Australia’s top health and social justice organisations are calling on the West Australian Government to follow through on its prior commitments to climate action and urgently take steps to protect the community from worsening climate extremes.

This briefing provides recommendations of actions to address the climate and health threat in WA, signed by Doctors for the Environment, the Climate Justice Union, the Western Australian Council for Social Services, the Doctors Reform Society and the Climate and Health Alliance.

Download the WA briefing here.