Climate change has been described as one of the greatest threats to public health in the 21st century, and is already impacting health in a myriad of ways, including death and illness from increasingly frequent and severe weather events, increases in zoonoses and in food, water and vector borne diseases, and mental health issues.

As a trainer of the next generation of rural doctors, ACRRM is committed to providing members with the relevant clinical education and resources; developing policy and progressing toward reducing its own organisational carbon footprint; and supporting its members on practical ways that they can make a positive contribution to reducing environmental impacts in their workplaces.

ACRRM Climate Advocacy in Action

The College is focused on: 

• Lending support to initiatives across the sector, having joined the Healthy Climate Future Campaign and supported both the WONCA Open letter in October 2023 and the COP28 Day of Action in Perth in November
• Expanding work commenced in 2023 around sustainability

• Reviewing its policy position paper, following release of the National Health and Climate Strategy.

Get involved
Healthy Futures are inviting ACRRM members to lend their support to their advocacy to protect Australians from extreme temperatures whilst working towards a safe climate. They are calling on the federal government to fund an accelerated rollout of rooftop solar on social housing. Without adequate protection, heat-related illnesses kill thousands of Australians every year. Extreme heat can trigger myocardial infarctions, strokes, renal failure, suicide and other health impacts. Older people, children, people with pre-existing health conditions and people unable to afford air conditioning are most vulnerable.

Healthy Futures are calling on the Federal Government to:

• Roll out rooftop solar on at least 30% of Australian social housing, to be completed by the end of 2026
• Ensure access to affordable renewable electricity for social housing where rooftop solar is impractical, e.g. via power purchasing agreements and/or battery storage
• Install reverse cycle air conditioning and implement other energy efficient retrofits to achieve safe temperatures in all social housing

They have created an open letter which is available here. The campaign is aiming to deliver the letter to the Federal Government in March. Please contact Policy@acrrm.org.au at any time if you would like to provide feedback on a particular issue or consultation. You can read more about the College’s work in Climate and Health on the ACRRM website.