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Australian health professionals' statement on climate change and health

2018; Elsevier BV; Volume: 392; Issue: 10160 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0140-6736(18)32610-2

1474-547X

Kerry Arabena, Fiona Armstrong, Helen Berry, Peter Brooks, Anthony Capon, Brendan S. Crabb, Alessandro Demaio, Peter C. Doherty, Sharon R. Lewin, Serigne Lo, Alan D López, Celia McMichael, Barbara McPake, Rob Moodie, Terry Nolan, Tilman Ruff, Peter Sainsbury, Linda Selvey, David Shearman, Fiona Stanley, Nicholas J. Talley, Nick Watts,

Health disparities and outcomes

The Australian Government's contemptuous dismissal of the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), including the panel's recommendation to dramatically reduce coal power by 2050, is unacceptable. As Australian health professionals and scientists, we are dismayed by the implications of our government's ongoing stance to disregard the consensus of the world's leading climate scientists, the precautionary principle, and any idea of duty of care regarding the future wellbeing of Australians and our immediate neighbours. Australia is the world's largest coal exporter and produces about 7% of the world's coal.1Smith R These are the world's biggest coal producers. World Economic Forum, Geneva2018https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/these-are-the-worlds-biggest-coal-producers/Date accessed: October 18, 2018Google Scholar Worldwide, fossil fuel burning produces around 72% of all greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities.2Watts N Amann M Ayeb-Karlsson S et al.The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: from 25 years of inaction to a global transformation for public health.Lancet. 2018; 391: 581-630Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (436) Google Scholar To limit global warming to 2°C, a third of oil reserves, half of gas reserves, and more than 80% of current coal reserves as of 2010 should remain unused.3McGlade C Eakins P The geographical distribution of fossil fuels unused when limiting global warming to 2°C.Nature. 2015; 517: 187-190Crossref PubMed Scopus (811) Google Scholar Air pollution from coal burning is responsible for numerous health problems—according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016,4GBD 2016 Risk Factors CollaboratorsGlobal, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.Lancet. 2017; 390: 1345-1422Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1219) Google Scholar around 2·5 million deaths were caused by solid fuel burning worldwide. Ironically, no other member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is as vulnerable to climate disruption as Australia.5Paun A Acton L Chan W-S Fragile planet: scoring climate risks around the world. HSBC Global Research.https://www.sustainablefinance.hsbc.com/our-reports/fragile-planetDate: 2018Date accessed: October 18, 2018Google Scholar Climate disruption is already amplifying the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, bushfires, drought, and tropical storms, causing harm and damaging livelihoods. As with other established historical harms to human health (eg, tobacco and exorbitant hepatitis C drug prices), narrow vested interests must be countered to bring about fundamental change in the consumption of coal and other fossil fuels. The Australian Government must commit immediately to embrace strategies of energy generation that do not put more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (panel)—with healthier communities reaping the benefits now and in the future. Without concerted action by all, the IPCC recommendation to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 will certainly not be achieved.PanelCall to actionAs Australian health professionals in clinical medicine, public health, research, and education, we ask national and international communities to support these calls on our government to protect the health of current and future generations nationally and globally.•Commit to no new or expanded coal mines and no new coal-fired power stations, phase out existing coal-fired power stations, and rapidly remove all subsidies to fossil fuel industries; the Adani coal mine must not proceed•Increase the national renewable energy target to at least 50% by 2030•Develop multisector regional development transition plans for communities and regions affected by the progressive phase-out of fossil fuel industries•Review Australia's Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement (a requirement of signing the agreement), and develop a plan to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2030, compared with 2005•Support Pacific Island nations to prepare for and adapt to the effects of climate change As Australian health professionals in clinical medicine, public health, research, and education, we ask national and international communities to support these calls on our government to protect the health of current and future generations nationally and globally. •Commit to no new or expanded coal mines and no new coal-fired power stations, phase out existing coal-fired power stations, and rapidly remove all subsidies to fossil fuel industries; the Adani coal mine must not proceed•Increase the national renewable energy target to at least 50% by 2030•Develop multisector regional development transition plans for communities and regions affected by the progressive phase-out of fossil fuel industries•Review Australia's Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement (a requirement of signing the agreement), and develop a plan to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2030, compared with 2005•Support Pacific Island nations to prepare for and adapt to the effects of climate change Because of processes of colonisation and marginalisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia have been cut off from lands and seas and are in poorer overall health; climate change will only amplify these inequities. Australia's Pacific Island neighbours are also highly vulnerable6McIver L Kim R Woodward A et al.Health impacts of climate change in Pacific Island countries: a regional assessment of vulnerabilities and adaptation priorities.Environ Health Perspect. 2016; 124: 1707-1714Crossref PubMed Scopus (65) Google Scholar to climate-related risks to health, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, habitability, food security, water supply, and economic growth. Our disregard of their plight through continued coal burning is shameful. This online publication has been corrected. The corrected version first appeared at thelancet.com on November 15, 2018 This online publication has been corrected. The corrected version first appeared at thelancet.com on November 15, 2018 SLo is Consulting Editor at The Lancet. NT is Editor in Chief of the Medical Journal of Australia. NW declares grants from the Wellcome Trust. All other authors declare no competing interests. Department of ErrorArabena K, Armstrong F, Berry H, et al. Australian health professionals' statement on climate change and health. Lancet 2018; 392: 2169—In this Correspondence, Nicholas Talley's name has been corrected to "Nicholas J Talley", and his affiliation has been corrected to "University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia". These corrections have been made to the online version as of Nov 15, 2018, and have been made to the printed version. Full-Text PDF