Climate report highlights future risk to health

A NEW report which outlines the consequences of climate change for our health, food security and community cohesion, has been endorsed by the AMA.

Floods can have a two-pronged affect on mung bean crops: although Scott Dowlings' survived the inundation, the water did spark an outbreak of fungus. Photo: Emily Smith / Central and North Burnett Times. Picture: Emily Smith

A NEW report which outlines the consequences of climate change for our health, food security and community cohesion, has been endorsed by the Australian Medical Association.

Climate Change Australia said the report, from the Australian Academy of Science, was yet another warning from trusted sources that inaction to combat global warming was leading us towards disaster.

CCA president Harry Creamer said the report was significant for the Mid North Coast.

"We have a lot of doctors here who can take a lead on this issue. We live by the coast which is vulnerable to severe rainfall, flooding and storm events, and we are dependent on food coming from areas also vulnerable to climate change," Mr Creamer said.

The report details five major areas of concern - extreme weather, disease, food and water, jobs and security. Five different groups of experts were involved in the report and made a total of 22 recommendations.

In part, the report said: "No nation will be immune to changes in the world's weather patterns and … it would be rash for any country to fail to plan (for) challenges to infrastructure and citizens. For Australia, one of the most important concerns is the health of its people."

"Doctors are intelligent, caring and compassionate people who are used to listening to people and accepting the science. These qualities are needed now and I call on all doctors and other health professionals to step up and be heard on this issue. We already have some in our group and I invite more to join us," Mr Creamer said.

"We have to overcome the politics of this issue because global warming is not responsive to whether we vote Labor, Liberal, National or Greens - it's getting worse whoever we vote for.

"AMA President Dr Brian Owler says the political debate over climate change has done 'a lot of damage' not only to public understanding about global warming, but also to the medical profession's response to what he calls the 'scary' long-term health impacts."

Mr Creamer said as intelligent and capable human beings, we can implement appropriate responses.

"This must include dramatic cuts to global and Australian carbon pollution emissions, closing old coal power stations, refusing new coal mines, cleaning up our transport fleet, making our buildings more energy efficient, and rolling out renewable energy on a massive scale," he said.

"People tell me the weather is always changing. It is, but the climate has been relatively stable for the past 10,000 years. Now that is also changing as we add more greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere and oceans.

"When we see weather records broken so often we know the climate is changing and there is a clear reason why, and that has been known for some time.

"Doctors and other health professionals cannot remain silent as this threat to our health and security gets worse.

"Climate change does not cause these dangerous weather events - it makes them worse," Mr Creamer said.

WHERE TO FIND IT

The report summary and recommendations are available at https://www.science.org.au/

sites/default/files/

user-content/documents/

think-tank-recommendations.pdf

Originally published as Climate report highlights future risk to health