On March 3rd 2023, Australian medical students will join forces with thousands of activists for the Global Climate Strike occurring simultaneously in nine locations across all states in Australia.

“As the future doctors of Australia, we are striking for the health of all our future patients and for the planet.” said Mikaela Misso, AMSA Code Green Co-National Coordinator. Anthropogenic climate change poses an immense threat to human health and wellbeing globally.

“From the acute harm caused by extreme weather events, to the exacerbation of cardiovascular and respiratory disease burden, to the detrimental economic and psychological impact on populations, climate change is the greatest global health threat of the 21st century,” said Ms Misso.

“Climate change is inextricably linked to health inequity,” warned Emily Coady, AMSA Code Green Co-National Coordinator.

“The Australian government’s continued lack of effective leadership in mitigating climate degradation will disproportionately harm vulnerable communities including children, the elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions, as well as rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” said Ms Coady.

This follows the Australian government’s recent approval of a Santos application allowing construction and operation of up to 116 gas wells in the Surat Basin in QLD until 2077.[1] “This is yet another destructive step taken by our nation’s leaders that only serves to aggravate and magnify the current climate crisis our country faces,” said Tish Sivagnanan, President of AMSA.

AMSA echoes the demands of School Strike for Climate as well as leading climate health bodies who call upon the Australian government to:

• Develop and implement a National Climate Change and Health Strategy to ensure the preparedness of the healthcare sector to adapt to climate pressures;
• Achieve complete renewable energy use by investment in renewable energy technologies, such as wind and solar, over coal mining and hydraulic fracturing to reduce the burden of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases;
• Develop a moratorium on all new fossil fuel projects, in accordance with IPCC recommendations.

AMSA is the peak representative body for Australia’s 18,000 medical students.AMSA Code Green advocates for stronger climate health outcomes, environmental rights and fights for the health of our planet and the people who depend on it.

References

1. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/21/making-climate-crisis-worse-greens-blast-labor-after-queensland-coal-seam-gas-expansion-approved