Today at Parliament House, Doctors from across Australia delivered an alarming new report, Fossil Fuels are a Health Hazard.
The report by medical group Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA), handed down with communications collective Comms Declare, was launched by the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney.
With fossil fuel pollution currently leading to more deaths globally than smoking, the report calls on the government to:
* Commit to a phase out of coal, oil and gas because of incontrovertible evidence of health impacts
* Introduce national restrictions on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorships
* Secure federally mandated and standardised ‘climate warning’ labels on advertisements for carbon intensive products
Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney MP acknowledged the impact of climate change, stating: “From extreme heat to more frequent bushfires, climate change is forever changing our environment and how we live. Australia needs a health system that is prepared for these challenges.
“Our National Strategy on Health and Climate lays the foundations for all of society to work together to address the impacts of climate change on Australians’ health and wellbeing”.
DEA’s Executive Director and GP, Dr Kate Wylie says: “Coal, oil and gas are driving dangerous air pollution. This smoke kills – whether it’s coming from a gas stove or a car exhaust, it gets into our lungs and bloodstream and causes disease, disability and death.
“Coal, oil and gas are also the main drivers of escalating climate change which is behind extreme weather such as heat, floods and bushfires whose dire impacts we’ve seen in Australia and overseas.
“As health professionals it’s our role to fearlessly and loudly advocate for the health of all Australians. Just like we called out the health harms of smoking, alcohol, and junk food – even guns- we are now ringing the alarm for fossil fuels.
“And similar to addressing the health impacts of tobacco by first quitting smoking, to address the impacts of fossil fuels we must first quit coal, oil and gas.
“This precautionary approach to health hazards has prompted government regulations. Now is the time for policy makers to show the same leadership and act on fossil fuels- the biggest public health risk humanity has faced.
“If we don’t act on this as a public health priority, simply put, more people are going to die or experience significant illness linked to fossil fuels”
Comms Declare Founder Belinda Noble says: “Fossil fuel pollution is killing more Australians than car crashes, alcohol and gambling combined and yet the fossil fuel industry is allowed to continue spending millions of dollars on promotion every year. Australia was a world leader in restricting tobacco advertising for the public good, and we should stop the promotion of high emission products for the same reason.”
“Combined with the accelerating impacts of an unstable climate, we believe fossil fuels will overtake junk food to become Australia’s most deadly advertised products.”
“There is already global action underway with UN Secretary General António Guterres recently calling for a global fossil fuel ban and restrictions imposed in France, Sydney and dozens of other cities. If our government is committed to protecting Australians and fighting climate change then banning fossil fuel advertising is an obvious first step.”
