News from the Secretary, August –September, 2006
Climate Change and Health
The scientific documentation of climate change and its existing effects become more and more worrying. Evidence indicates that climate change is accelerating and we may have only a few decades to take action. Studies on arctic sea-ice cover, glacier and permafrost melting and the release of methane (a potent greenhouse gas) together with the projections of sea-level rise and increasing drought in many continents all tell the same story, more rapid change than expected.
Despite many other environmental health problems besetting us, DEA has concentrated recently on climate change and health because we believe this is the greatest and most urgent problem facing humanity. The health implications are enormous and we feel that our concentration on these is a potent way of bringing climate change to the attention of both government and community.
In the face of the evidence, it is hard to understand the residual skepticism of some government members and the disinterest shown by the community. Much of the evidence for climate change and its implications are presented in Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth” which we urge you to see. Our Minister for Industry dismissed the film as “entertaining” which indicates the size of the problem we face. Some governments such as that of the US continue to work to sabotage any meaningful response to climate change. Others with good intent, nevertheless continue to fail in reducing emissions by more than a few percent when targets of 60 or 70 per cent are required.
We urge you all to be involved in this issue in your personal lives, in your practices and hospitals and in your contact with your representatives.
Poster Project
This is an important educational initiative to link climate change to health in the minds of the public. The pilot run of posters was very successful. Some poster re-design is nearly completed and so are negotiations for a national release which will be partly funded by members’ donation to the recent appeal. Your support on this issue has been fantastic.
An Energy Policy for Australia
This lengthy and comprehensive document (see www.dea.org,au) is intended to address the need for policy to address climate change. It covers the health aspects of the different energy modalities and refutes the argument that nuclear generation can play an important role in reducing greenhouse emissions.
We urge you to read this policy, which is still a draft, till adopted at the AGM. Comments and amendments are welcome.
The policy involved a considerable amount of work and our gratitude is due to Colin Butler and Bill Castleden for their skill and dedication. The policy also represents a step forward for DEA in that we used a medical editor and we thank Anne Walker for her help.
Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments
This is the title of an excellent WHO review which I recommend you read.
Its title echoes our DEA Logo which says “Promoting Health through Care of the Environment”. The publication should be read by all our members as an important overview as to what environmental health is all about. It can be downloaded free from the WHO site http://www.who.int/phe/health_topics/en/
The Australian Collaboration
The Australian Collaboration has developed a new web site. We recommend tht you consult it. http://www.australiancollaboration.com.au
The Australian Collaboration is a network of seven national community organisations. On its website are listed fact sheets and electronic reference sites covering, amongst others, environmental and health themes. The fact sheets are peer reviewed. Environmental examples include “Climate change”, “Common misconceptions about Climate change”, “Biodiversity” and two fact sheets on water. There is also a site Democracy Watch listing threats to civil liberties and democracy in Australia.
Membership
How you can help us
Membership numbers are increasing steadily almost entirely by word of mouth so we urge you to help us to engage our colleagues.
Please look in your address book and forward this newsletter to one or more colleagues and suggest they look at www.dea.org.au We find that most members join because DEA is mentioned by a colleague so your role in this process is vital.
More members mean more membership subscriptions and donations to fund our educational work and to increase our influence with governments and oppositions.
Please do not turn off this message till you have sent it to a colleague.
Warm regards from the secretary. We hope that we will see you at the AGM in Canberra on October 28.