The Climate Commission will release its second major report, The Critical Decade: Climate change and health on Wednesday 30 November 2011 in Sydney.
The report is a comprehensive and up to date synthesis of the expected impacts of climate change on the health of Australians.
Climate Commissioner and co-author of the report Professor Lesley Hughes states that the key finding of the report is that, “climate change is one of the most serious threats to Australians’ health, especially those in our community who are already most vulnerable.”
“We often think about climate change as something that just affects the environment. But of course we depend on the environment, for clean air, safe water, tolerable temperatures and good food. Climate change is putting pressure on the systems that support us and our health.”
The health sector has been quick to back the report. Prominent Australians including Professor Fiona Stanley and Professor Peter Doherty have released statements and a range of major health organisations will release a joint statement in support of the report. Signatories include, the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Nursing Federation, the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association, the National Rural Health Alliance, the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, the Public Health Association of Australia, the Climate and Health Alliance, Doctors for the Environment Australia, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (see below).
“It is important that Australians are aware of the risks of climate change to their health and the health of their family and community. That is why we have produced this report”.
The report is the work of Professor Lesley Hughes, internationally-renowned scientist, and Professor Tony McMichael, world-leading expert in climate change and health. The report has also been reviewed by members of the Climate Commission Science Advisory Panel, which includes experts from the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.
The independent Commission was established earlier this year to provide an authoritative and trusted source of information on climate change science and solutions. The Commission brings together internationally-renowned climate scientists with policy and business leaders.