Framework for a national strategy on climate, health and well-bring for Australia

In a world first initiative, a coalition of leading health experts and organisations, along with federal parliamentarians, has launched a Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia. 

The Framework has been developed following a year-long national consultation to identify stakeholders’ priorities and concerns regarding the health impacts of climate change.

This Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia provides a roadmap to support the Commonwealth Government in taking a leadership role in protecting the health and well-being of Australian communities from climate change, and in fulfilling its international obligations under the Paris Agreement.

Read the story posted by Fiona Armstrong on the Climate and Health Alliance website - “Framework for a national strategy on climate, health and well-bring for Australia.”

Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia.

In the lead up to the launch of the Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia, the Climate and Health Alliance have released the Final Consultation Report: National Consultation Regarding a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia to detail the extensive consultation which informed the Framework’s development. 

The report outlines findings from the national consultation process, which involved three main elements:

• Responses to a survey accompanying a Discussion Paper which proposed a National Strategy for Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia (released June 2016);

• An Online Discussion Forum held for nine days using the paxrepublic.com platform (August 2016);

• A Health Leaders Roundtable and Meeting with Parliamentarians in Canberra (October 2016).

• Results from this process demonstrate the almost unanimous agreement among health professionals that there is urgent need for federal leadership and action. Health groups also offer their commitment to supporting the government and political parties in making the strategy a reality. 

Read the Climate and Health Alliance report - “Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia.”

Historic meeting pushes for national action on health and climate change

Martin Bowles, Secretary of the Federal Department of Health (and formerly Deputy Secretary in the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency), is expected to join other health leaders at a meeting in Canberra tomorrow aimed at generating some long overdue action on a national climate and health strategy.

The Department’s Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Hobbs and Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Debra Thoms are also due to attend the roundtable meeting, which has been organised by a coalition of health groups including the Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA).

Ahead of the meeting on Monday afternoon, health leaders will meet with key MPs to brief them on recent consultations highlighting strong health professional support for the development of a national strategy around climate change, health and wellbeing.

Read the Croakey story - “Historic meeting pushes for national action on health and climate change.”

The Health Impacts Of Climate Change Are Huge And Very Real

A woman in Les Cayes, Haiti, following the
passage of Hurricane Matthew.

Think of climate change, you probably think of melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, crazy weather and environmental havoc. While the health of Planet Earth is usually the biggest factor, it's not often that the health of the human race enters significantly into the discussion.

A roundtable forum of public health leaders in Canberra hopes to change that, and to place health at the forefront of Australia's action on climate change.

The Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA), along with a number of healthcare and nursing groups, hosted the meeting of around 40 professionals in Parliament House. Assistant Health Minister Ken Wyatt, Shadow Health Minister, Catherine King, and Greens leader Richard Di Natale attended, hearing about how climate change is a "public health emergency", according to CAHA executive director Fiona Armstrong.

Read the Huffington Post story - “The Health Impacts Of Climate Change Are Huge And Very Real.”

Fellow Fiona Armstrong hosts health and climate round-table at Parliament House

Fiona Armstrong.

Fiona Armstrong will host a leadership event and round-table discussion in Canberra tomorrow (Monday, October 10).

Fiona, the Executive Officer of the Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) and a Fellow with the Centre for Policy Development (CPD) will lead discussions between health sector leaders and prominent Parliamentarians from all sides of politics.

 

Recently, Fiona was also name among Australia's top 100 most influential women.

This will be Australia’s first meeting to discuss the emerging threats to health resulting from climate change.

The CAHA, a grouping of health professionals dedicated to affecting climate change policy, was founded by Fiona, will take its concern for climate change and carbon emissions directly to MPs.

The alliance is hoping that tomorrow’s meeting will send a strong message to Australia’s wider health and medical community.

Read the Centre for Policy Development (CPD) release - “Fellow Fiona Armstrong hosts health and climate round-table at Parliament House.”

Fiona Armstrong among Australia's 100 most influential women

Fiona Armstrong - she has visited and
spoken in both Shepparton and Tatura.

Fiona Armstrong has spoken in Shepparton at a Slap Tomorrow event and at an Environmental Film Festival organized by Tatura Transition Towns.

And now the tireless chief executive of the Melbourne-based Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) has been named as one of Australia’s 100 Women of Influence.

She was one of 10 named in the “Social enterprise and not-for-profit” section of the awards.

In a message to her supporters, Fiona said: “Also amused to find myself in the company of Gina Rinehart! Hopefully we are all helping to address the harm she causes - and for that I’m grateful to you all for the work you do in the climate movement and the support, guidance and encouragement provided to both myself and CAHA as part of that effort.

“I hope it will be a boost for the issue of climate action and especially around health - I felt even getting my nomination in front of the selection panel (which included the Prime Minister's wife, Lucy Turnbull) would help raise awareness about this issue - and for that alone it was possibly worth doing!” she said.

Read the Financial Review story - “100 Women of Influence awards reveal hidden talent.”

CAHA chief is seeking our support

Fiona Armstrong wants our help.

The executive director of the Melbourne-based Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) wants our help in campaigning for a national strategy on climate, health and well-being to assist Australia in meeting its commitments under the Paris Agreement.

In a letter seeking support she says:

“Over the last few months, CAHA has been leading the development of a campaign to engage and mobilise health professionals and healthcare stakeholders in support of advocacy for climate action, specifically in support of policy at the national level to limit the health impacts of globe warming and to ensure climate policies include strategies that not only reduce emissions, but also deliver health co-benefits.

With its signing of the Paris Agreement, Australia has committed to recognise its citizens’ “rights to health” in the context of climate policy, and to recognise the “health co-benefits” of climate mitigation.

Our campaign intends to mobilise a wide range of healthcare stakeholders to join us in campaigning for a national strategy on climate, health and well-being to assist Australia in meeting its commitments under the Paris Agreement.

This campaign involves organising, outreach and engagement, training and capacity building of health professionals, policy research and advocacy, and communications. We are building a group of volunteer organisers who are working with key groups to sign them up as campaign partners, and acquiring eminent persons as campaign ‘ambassadors’.

We have already had a ’soft’ launch in the circulation of a Discussion Paper to around 250 healthcare stakeholders over the last month, and an invitation to them to respond to a Survey about the key elements of a national strategy.

This week will see a virtual launch in that we will put out a media release targeting the forthcoming Health Minister and arguing the health portfolio must now take a lead role in climate policy for Australia in order to protect and promote health and well-being.

We have one of our campaign ambassadors Professor Peter Doherty, Nobel Laureate for Medicine, lined up for a one-on-one interview with Greg Borschmann on Radio National about 7am on Wednesday. Please tune in!

Peter and I are co-authors of an article that will also appear in The Conversation on Wednesday. Please tweet and share!

I’m giving you a heads-up because the health story is a critical one in our movement narrative, because health and medical professionals are trusted and respected voices, and because framing climate as a health issue is a frame that works across all audience segments.

I hope you will support the campaign this week by sharing the links via social media and with your networks - we will send them around on Wednesday.”

Report urges us to 'Invest in Health'

This new paper ‘Investing in Health', released by the Climate and Health Alliance and Doctors for the Environment Australia, highlights the opportunity and the rationale for health and medical professionals to shift their investments away from coal and oil and gas.

The key findings were:

-      Climate change has been identified as both the “defining health issue” and the “greatest global health threat” of the 21st century.

-      The health impacts of climate change occur due to heat, extreme weather events, ecosystem change and collapse, and social system destabilisation. Climate change is currently responsible for 400,000 deaths per annum.

-      Health professionals have a long history of acting beyond the clinic, taking active steps to improve the social, economic and environmental determinants of health. Actions against the tobacco industry are recent examples.

-      Production and consumption of fossil fuels – coal oil and gas – adversely impact human health through air pollution, psychosocial impacts, water contamination and land degradation, as well as being the major driver of climate change.

-      To have a reasonable chance (66% likelihood) of staying below a 2°C limit of global warming, up to 80% of known fossil fuel reserves must remain in the ground.

-      Fossil fuel assets are worth five trillion US dollars. Many health professionals and health organisations have investments in the industry via their financial portfolios, superannuation or banking; most are unaware they are supporting the fossil fuel industry.

-      There are clear financial risks in investment in carbon intensive industries which will become ‘stranded assets’ in a carbon constrained world. ​

Read the report –  ”Investing in Health.”

Shepparton flyers warn of playing sport in extreme heat

The flyer as it will be handed out at
 tomorrow's AFL practice match in
Shepparton warning of
the implications of heat and sport.

Even the young and fit can suffer severe heat illness warns the Climate and Health Alliance, ahead of the Essendon and Geelong clash in Shepparton this weekend.

 Large parts of Victoria are in the middle of a heatwave, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting the temperature in Shepparton on game-day will reach 38 degrees.

 Geelong Cat Mark Blicavs has suggested players will be fine because they’re all “fit young guys” but Climate and Health Alliance President Liz Hanna says playing sport in the heat can be deadly for anyone.

 “Even the young and fit can die. While some players may feel they are acclimatised to playing in extreme heat, intense physical activity like football can increase heat generation ten-fold,” Dr Hanna said.

 “The AFL must consider the risks to players, staff and fans - toughing it out in extreme heat is not a matter of bravado, it can be deadly.”

 Temperatures above 30 degrees pose a risk of hyperthermia and heat stroke, a recent report from The Climate Institute on heat and sport shows[1].

 The body’s optimal core temperature is between 36.2 and 37.2 degrees. If it rises above this normal range, hyperthermia can place stress on the heart, lead to dangerously low blood pressure, and can ultimately cause organ damage and death.

 CAHA executive director Fiona Armstrong cautioned all Victorians to stay safe in the heat, and said sporting bodies would need to take further precautions as climate change worsened heatwaves and hot days. 

 The AFL’s current heat guidelines include increasing the number of water carriers to run fluids, lengthening breaks, shortening quarters or rescheduling games. 

 “If we are to avoid even greater extremes of temperature in the future, we must also take urgent action to address the causes of climate change. This is a matter of life or death,” Ms Armstrong said.

Concerned residents will be handing out pamphlets at the game, explaining how climate change relates to heat and health.

Fiona Armstrong eager to find the root causes of the climate change 'disease'

F

ew people are more committed to tackling the symptoms of climate change and through that identifying and dealing with root causes of the “disease” than Fiona Armstrong.

Ms Armstrong is the founder and Executive Director of the Climate and Health Alliance, a national not-for-profit coalition of healthcare stakeholder groups that work together to advocate for climate action to protect and promote health.

The Climate and Health Alliance is a member of the Global Climate and Health Alliance and Australian partner of the international non-government organisation, Health Care Without Harm.

And today Ms Armstrong writes on The Conversation about the value, in health terms of climate mitigation.

Read her story - “Climate mitigation – the greatest public health opportunity of our time”.

Health Alliance calls for zero emissions by 2040

A

 call for zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2040 has come from the Australia’s Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA).

Just today the CAHA released its submission to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The alliance has called zero emissions in 2040, with a minimum target of:

•        20% reduction of 2000 CO2 levels by 2020;

•        40% by 2025;

•        60% by 2030;

•        80% by 2035; and

•        negative net emissions by 2050.

Executive Director of the alliance, Fiona Armstrong says, “Our top recommendations are for immediate closure of the seven oldest coal fired power stations and a ban on ALL new coal mining licences.”

Read the CAHA submission here……

CAHA report helps us understand health penalities of coal

A

 Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) report discussing coal and health in the Hunter Valley supports its advocacy for the protection and promotion of health from the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.

The health implications of energy policy are a key concern for the alliance and this report highlights the risks to health from particular energy choices, in this case, coal.

A woman from the Hunter Valley says, “It’s wrong that citizens should be forced to experience the emotional fall out from mining – the loss of amenity, the loss of quality of life, the loss of the future.”

The near 70-page report can be read here: “Coal and health in the Hunter: Lessons from one valley for the world”.

Health and energy choices considered by background paper

A

ll sources of energy to support human activity have implications for health.

We, as a society, need to choose how we harvest energy so that we use the ones with the least overall adverse impacts on health.

This paper on Health and Energy Choices is to open this discussion for Australia, and to provide a background for the Joint Position statement on Health and Energy Choices.

This ‘background paper’ has been published by Climate and Health Alliance; the Public Health Association of Australia; the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation; the National Toxics Network; the Australian Medical Students Association; and the Women’s Health East; and Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health.

The November 2014 paper was prepared by Fiona Armstrong and Dr Peter Tait.

Read the paper here: “Background to Position Paper: Health and Energy Choices”.

Coal - 'No longer fit for purpose on a crowded and overheated planet'

This report has been produced on behalf of the Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA) to support its advocacy for the protection and promotion of health from the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.

The health implications of energy policy are a key concern for CAHA and

An image from the report.

highlighting the risks to health from energy choices is a core element of its work.

This report was developed using a combination of sources, including international and national health and medical literature on coal and health, as well as grey literature, including submissions to government inquiries, academic, scientific and industry reports, reports from think tanks, community organisations, and media and from interviews with local community members and experts.

It represents an analysis and synthesis of the selected sources. It is not a systematic scientific review.

This report aims to highlight the risks to health associated with the rapid expansion of coal mining in the Hunter Valley for the local population as well as the risk to the global community from the contribution to climate change from coal exports.

It is aimed at politicians, policymakers, media, those advocating for policy change, health professionals, and communities affected by coal mining and combustion, in the Hunter Valley and elsewhere.

In its conclusion the report says:

“As a recent editorial in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health concluded, coal is a fuel that is “no longer fit for purpose on a crowded and overheated planet.

“Australia is extremely fortunate in that it has access to some of the most abundant renewable energy resources in the world. Coupled with energy efficiency initiatives, it is possible to replace coal-fired electricity generation in the Hunter Valley with cleaner, healthier alternatives – and in doing so, support the development of a new regional industry.

“It is time for policy and planning decisions to be implemented that allow regions like the Hunter Valley to begin a transition to other less harmful industries that will provide a safe, healthy and economically secure future.”

Read the report here: ”Coal and health in the Hunter: Lessons from one valley for the world”.

Climate and Health Alliance needs our support

Most individuals, groups and organizations alerting the world to the dangers of climate change do so with limited resources.

The “business as usual” brigade is, by comparison well equipped and equally well resourced and beyond that, importantly, seemingly broadly socially accepted.

The success of corporations, to which most of us contribute in one way or another, can be attributed to the fact that they are usually financially sound and so have regular full-time workers whose prime role is to ensure they maintain a socially acceptable profile and so continue uninhibited to pollute our atmosphere.

Those individuals, groups and organizations attempting to change the status quo are not normally in the same position.

The Climate and Health Alliance is one of those groups in need of broader and deeper public support.

The argument explaining the group’s position and needs is outlined here: “Healthy Climate Appeal".

'This way?' 'That way?' Budget takes Australia the wrong way

Dr Liz Hanna.

A healthy and prosperous future for Australia is “this way”, but driven by last night’s Federal Budget, the Tony Abbott lead coalition is headed “that way”.

Concerns about the coalition’s disruptive decisions that will ultimately disable Australia have been voiced by the Melbourne-based Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA).

In a story on Medianet headed: “Federal budget an investment in climate and health damages” the alliance has expressed alarm at the removal of important policies with health, social and environmental benefits.

However, although the budget has disabled those for health, social and environmental benefits, it has maintained subsidies for polluting industries and even expanded some.

CAHA President Dr Liz Hanna said: “The budget would be better served if the federal government reversed its decision to scrap policies such as a price on carbon pollution, or by taxing the profits of mining companies.

A chance to hear about the health implications arising from climate change

Goulburn Valley people will soon have the chance to hear about the health implications arising from climate change.

And more importantly they will hear about what it is they can do in response to these changing circumstances.

The Shepparton-based Slap Tomorrow has arranged a climate change and community health forum for Thursday, March 27.

Alianne Rance has helped
 north western Victorian
municipalities better understand
living with climate change.

Speakers include the convenor of Melbourne Climate and Health Alliance, Fiona Armstrong; a PhD scholar from RMIT who has been exploring resilience with north-western Victorian councils, Alianne Rance; and the Victoria joint co-ordinators of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC), Cameron Wheatley and Philippa Wright.

However, it is not just one event as both Ms Armstrong and Ms Rance will speak at a midday session at the University of Melbourne’s Rural Health Academic Centre in Graham St, Shepparton.



Climate and Health Alliance
convenor, Fiona Armstrong.

That session is aimed at the health fraternity from students through to practising doctors and anyone with an interest in community health.

Soon after, all four speakers meet with secondary school students at Shepparton’s McGuire College including, hopefully, some students from other secondary schools in the district.

Victorian co-coordinator of'
the AYCC, Cameron Wheatley.

Cameron Wheatley has said climate change can be quite scary for young people and AYCC is eager to have young people understand they can actually do something to avoid a sense of powerlessness and that, he points out, plays a critical role in preserving their mental health.



The evening session, at which Victoria’s Sustainability Commissioner, Professor Kate Auty, will be the moderator, will involve all four speakers and be followed by a 30 minute question and answer session.

Philippa Wright -
co-coordinator
of the Victorian branch
 of the AYCC. 

That session, that starts at 7:00pm and will be free, will be held in the Harder Auditorium at the GoTAFE College in Fryers St.

SlapTomorrow spokesman, Mr Robert McLean, said community health will move to centre stage as the effects of climate change begin to be felt throughout the society.

“Things such as fires, droughts, floods and longer, more intense heatwaves will magnify stress and beyond obvious physical difficulties, many people will find themselves struggling mentally,” Mr McLean said.

He said that although the facts of climate change can be rather daunting, the March 27 forum would provide people with ideas and ways to prepare them for what is ahead.

 



Timely climate change community health forum

Slap Tomorrow has a climate change/community health forum in March.

The idea appears increasingly relevant as the world, and those who live upon it, begins to tremble.

Speakers from the Melbourne-based Climate and Health Alliance, and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition will speak at the Thursday, March 27, forum.

Victoria’s Sustainability Commissioner, Professor Kate Auty, will knit the event together as the master of ceremonies.

Published in the “Ecologist” website under the heading “Climate change is making the world sick” is a story declaring that it is climate change that is making us sick.

Heatwaves are killing people, floods are drowning them, artic-like storms are freezing them and hurricanes are blowing them, and human infrastructure, away.

Shepparton health forum speaker writes on CPD website

Convenor and secretary of The Climate and Health Alliance, Fiona Armstrong, is one of three speakers who will address Slap Tomorrow’s climate change and community health forum in March.

 

She has written about “Australia’s abundant energy and opportunities for future wealth and health” on the Centre for Policy Development’s website.

“Unlike many other countries, Australia has no significant climate policy.

“Efforts to introduce a lacklustre emissions trading scheme have failed, and apart from some minor policies, Australia has no significant policy agenda to contribute to the global effort of stemming our relentless rise in greenhouse gas emissions, or to draw down our legacy of excess carbon dioxide (CO₂), as we are warned we must,” she wrote.

The Climate and Health Alliance is a national charity that is an alliance of organizations and people in the health sector working together to raise awareness about the health risks of climate change and the health benefits of emissions reductions.