Addressing climate change through health promotion in Australia

Abstract

Climate change is arguably the biggest global health threat of the 21st Century. While the spread of vector-borne diseases and the health impacts of extreme weather events dominate discussions about health and climate change, there are also a range of other issues that are central to the health promotion community. Concerns such as food security; mental health; Indigenous health; and water quality are increasingly familiar. It is also undeniable that a shared vision of most health promoters to achieve environmental sustainability and to promote health equity is challenged by the threat of climate change. Health professionals are well positioned to address this threat, but action needs to be swift and sustained.