Climate Change and Health


Overview

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, altering patterns of vector-borne diseases, and threatening to worsen food and water shortages, with serious consequences for health.

Advocating for climate action is an opportunity to reduce the impacts of climate change while improving health outcomes across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and globally.


Position statements

We launched our position statement – A Healthy Future Beyond Fossil Fuels (PDF) in April 2026. It outlines the health impacts of fossil fuels; considers the challenges of ensuring a just transition away from fossil fuels that prioritises Indigenous justice, health equity, and planetary health; and puts forward policy recommendations to Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand governments at every level. 

Watch the launch webinar:

Our ‘A Healthy Future Beyond Fossil Fuels’ position statement builds on our previous position statements on climate change and health: 

We promote the recommendations in these position statements through public consultations, campaigns, media, and other advocacy.


Australian National Health and Climate Strategy

The RACP welcomed Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy (the Strategy) in 2023. The Strategy came after over a decade of policy and advocacy by the RACP and others in the sector and the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, acknowledged the RACP's role in securing the Strategy. This included our submission (PDF) on the Strategy’s consultation paper in 2023 and the RACP President’s membership on the Chief Medical Officer Advisory Group, which informed the development of the Strategy.

We have remained involved in the implementation of the National Health and Climate Strategy through membership of the Australian Government’s Climate and Health Expert Advisory Group (CHEAG) and its Health College Working Group on Climate Change, which was formed following a 2024 joint statement

Multi-college advocacy

The RACP’s Climate Change and Health Multi-College Advisory Committee (MCAC) brings together 14 specialist medical colleges to provide a forum for engagement and collaboration on climate change and health policy and advocacy. It led the development of the RACP-commissioned research report Climate Change and Australia’s Healthcare Systems – A Review of Literature, Policy and Practice (PDF) in 2021. Following this, we launched the Healthy Climate Future Campaign which has continued to bring medical colleges together to advocate on key climate priorities. 


Submissions and Advocacy

2026

May

Submission: Australian Centre for Disease Control’s Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) outline.

April

Position Statement and Launch Event: A Healthy Future Beyond Fossil Fuels (PDF) launched at a webinar.

Endorsement: Australian Government’s Framework for Collaborative Action on Climate and Health.

January

Media Op-Ed: “Our health system isn’t built for climate change” published online by Canberra Times and 68 regional newspapers.

2025

December

Endorsement: The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2025 Climate Change and Health Policy Brief for Australia (PDF)

November

Presentation at the 2025 Australian Medical Association and Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) Climate Change & Sustainability: Leadership and Action from Australian Doctors webinar.

July

Endorsement: The Climate and Health Alliance’s (CAHA) open letter - United for Climate and Health: A healthy vision for a COP31 in Australia and the Pacific.  

June

Joint Event: RACP and Doctors for the Environment Australia webinar – Working Together Towards Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare

April

Joint Media Release: Delaying climate action will cost lives, hip-pockets and the public purse: Doctors (24 April 2025), with seven other medical colleges

Media: As global trade war launches, a call for national leadership to drive decarbonisation of our health system, Croakey (4 April 2025)

March

Media Release: Federal Election: Urgent action on specialist workforce, climate change and medicine shortages critical to ensuring Australians’ health, doctors warn (19 March 2025)

Election Statement: Climate resilience is a key focal point in the RACP 2025 Federal Election Statement: The healthcare Australians need (PDF)

Submission: the RACP provided evidence to the He Pou a Rangi - Climate Change Commission to contribute to the National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA) 2026 (PDF)

February

Media: Ahead of the Western Australian election, medical experts call for urgent action on fossil fuel harms, Croakey, (20 February 2025)

Media Release: Extreme weather: Health impacts underscore the need for transitioning away from fossil fuels, doctors say (17 February 2025)

Election Statement: Action on climate change is a key call to action in the RACP Healthy workforce, healthy communities 2025 Western Australian Election Statement (PDF)

January

Submission: A climate resilient health system is one of four key focal points in the RACP 2025 Pre-Budget Submission to the Australian Treasury (PDF)

Singaporean delegation visit: The College hosted health officials and academics from Singapore as part of the delegation’s study trip to Sydney to learn about healthcare environmental sustainability.

2024

December

Advocacy: RACP representatives appointed to the Australian Government’s Climate and Health Expert Advisory Group (CHEAG). Representatives have attended regular ongoing meetings since December 2024.

Advocacy: RACP representative appointed to the Australian Government’s Health College Working Group on Climate Change (HCWG). Representatives have attended regular ongoing meetings since December 2024.

November

Endorsement: MJA-Lancet Countdown 2023 Policy Brief Endorsement (PDF)

Submission and consultation: Australian Government’s Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) Consultation Paper. RACP representatives attended a consultation on the HNAP.

October

Endorsement: Joint Statement: Working together to achieve sustainable high quality health care in a changing climate (PDF), with the Australian Government, the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) and medical and health colleges.  

Endorsement: Healthy Futures’ Electric Hospital Retrofit Program feasibility studies budget proposal

September

Media Interview: Sky News interview on climate change and health, zoonoses, and monkey pox (15 September 2024)

Presentation at the annual Australian Medical Association and Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) Climate Change and Sustainability: Leadership and Action from Australian Doctors webinar.

Policy development: Engagement with Asthma Australia roundtables and The National Sustainable Asthma Care Roadmap – Roundtable Report(PDF)

August

Media Interview: Sky News interview on climate impacts on health and healthcare systems (August 2024)

Joint Letter to the Editor: Tackling climate change is a global medical community responsibility, with the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)

Advocacy: The Northern Territory Election Statement (PDF)had a strong climate focus, which was also reflected in a related media statement and op-ed.

July

Submission: Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme Agricultural Obligations) Amendment Bill (PDF)

February
Advice: Modelling the health impacts of climate change (PDF)

Coordination of consultation session on implementing the anaesthetic and other gases actions from the National Health and Climate Strategy (PDF) hosted by the RACP and facilitated by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care.

Archive

2023

December
Media Release: Physicians welcome National Health and Climate Strategy and call for its urgent implementation (4 December 2023)
Endorsement: World Health Organization Call to Climate Action ahead of COP28

November
Submission: Climate Change Amendment (Duty of Care and Intergenerational Climate Equity) Bill (PDF)
Submission: Middle Arm Industrial Precinct Senate Inquiry (PDF)

October
Submission: Alternative Commonwealth Capabilities for Crisis Response Discussion Paper (PDF)

September
Media Release: Australia isn't ready for extreme weather - Climate and Health Strategy urgently needed (20 September 2023)
Presentation: Australian Medical Association and Doctors for the Environment Annual Webinar: Australia’s doctors – driving action on climate change.
Endorsement: Australian Medical Association and Doctors for the Environment Communique calling for increased investment in sustainable healthcare and urgent action on climate change to protect health.

August
Advocacy: Letter to the Prime Minister on the health harms of fossil fuels (PDF)
Advocacy: Letter to the Northern Territory Chief Minister on the health harms of fossil fuels (PDF)
Media Release: Australia's healthcare system must get ready for the next climate disaster (2 August 2023)
Submission: National Health and Climate Strategy Consultation Paper (PDF)

February
Submission: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality Sustainable Healthcare Module (PDF)

2022

March
Media Release: “Ten medical colleges representing more than100-000 doctors write to political leaders calling for a climate ready and climate-friendly healthcare system”

May
Media Release: “Physicians and paediatricians want a plan for a greener health system” calling on major parties to commit to a national climate and health strategy.

Media Release: “We must now take the lead” – Sustainable healthcare is vital for action on climate change” calling for the health system to take the lead in sustainability efforts.

June
Presentation to the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on the Climate Change and Australia’s Healthcare Systems – A Review of Literature, Policy and Practice.

Presentation at University of Notre Dame Australia on the role of health professional organizations in climate change advocacy and education and Climate Change and Australia’s Healthcare Systems – A Review of Literature, Policy and Practice.

July
Presentation at the Australian Medical Association conference on the Climate Change and Australia’s Healthcare Systems – A Review of Literature, Policy and Practice.

September
Attendance at the Better Healthier Futures Roundtable. With a focus on driving health leadership on climate action including through supporting the development and implementation of a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Wellbeing for Australia.

November
Presentation at Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Science conference on the Climate Change and Australia’s Healthcare Systems – A Review of Literature, Policy and Practice.

Media Release: “Health systems straining under mounting climate pressure, MJA & Lancet report warns” calling for a National approach that recognizes the scale and complexity of impacts.

December
Media Release: “Doctors want a climate safe health system, survey shows” a new survey of healthcare workers by the RACP found that 83% of respondents supported the healthcare system becoming more climate-friendly and climate-ready.

2021

Opinion piece Climate action needed to prevent health crisis worsening by Professor John Wilson AM, RACP President

Media release “Our national health is on the line”: Physicians want a plan for climate and health from the PM at COP26 calling on the Prime Minister to acknowledge the health impacts of climate change.

Representation at the Climate Change Sustainability: Leadership and Action from Australian Doctors webinar and a joint letter to the Prime Minister (PDF)

Submission on the Victorian Health and Human Services Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022-2026 (PDF)

 “Our national health is on the line”: Physicians want a plan for climate and health from the PM at COP26 

Media Release Climate change is the biggest threat to health system calling for the Government to come up with a plan to tackle climate change.

2020

Submission to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Independent Review (PDF) followed by a media release

Submission to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements (PDF) and a subsequent Submission to the Royal Commission’s Health Issues paper (PDF)

Endorsement of a joint letter calling for a #HealthyRecovery post-COVID-19 from AMA, RACGP, CICM, ACRRM, RANZCOG, RANZCP, AMSA and DEA, along with support for a joint media release

Endorsement and support of NSW RDN Natural Disaster and Emergency Primary Health Workforce Response

2019

Media release calling on NSW and Federal governments to act on climate change and joint media release with other health organisations declaring air pollution in NSW a public health emergency in response to extreme heat and bushfire smoke

Declaration of a climate health emergency media release

Endorsement of Expert Position Statement on health-based standards for Australian regulated thresholds of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone (PDF) in ambient air, followed by a submission and media release

Submission to the Climate Health WA Inquiry (PDF)

Fossil fuel divestment letters sent to HESTA and First State super

Australian Federal election campaign statement (PDF) and advocacy, including an election advocacy kit with a factsheet, social media kit and template letter for candidates

2017

Climate Change and Health breakfast lecture (MP3) event audio recording, hosted by the RACP and facilitated by Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine Fellow, Professor Lynne Madden

2015

International 'Doctors for Climate Action' campaign coordinated by the RACP including a Global Consensus Statement: Act Now to Reduce the Damaging Health Impacts of Climate Change (PDF) supported by 69 health organisations and 1,500 individuals


Contribute your expertise

If you're an RACP physician, paediatrician or trainee interested in Policy and Advocacy, we want to hear from you. Find out more about how you can represent your profession or contact us.

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