Goal Five
Launching the Healthy Climate Future campaign
The College has been an outspoken advocate for climate health action for several years, and in 2022 formed the Healthy Climate Future campaign.
The campaign launched in March 2022, with an open letter, signed by nine other medical colleges, representing over 100,000 physicians and other health professionals calling for a climate ready and climate friendly healthcare system.
The open letter was part of a call for the major parties to commit to stronger climate action in the lead up to the May 2022 Federal Election.
“This open letter, signed by medical colleges representing over 100,000 doctors - sends a clear message to our leaders that climate change is a health crisis that we must address urgently.
"We urgently need action from our federal political leaders to address climate change and prepare our healthcare systems for the inevitable impacts of it.” - Former RACP President Professor John Wilson, March 2022
You can read the detail of the policy asks by heading to: https://healthyclimatefuture.org.au/
The College will continue to advocate for more action on climate change to protect health and harness health benefits, through the Healthy Climate Future Campaign, now endorsed by 10 other medical colleges.
Read more about the RACP campaign here: healthyclimatefuture.org.au/
Driving real policy change
Two of the major asks of the Healthy Climate Future campaign in 2022 were for the Federal Government to commit to a National Climate, Health and Wellbeing Strategy and established a national sustainability unit to deliver this. In the second half of the year, the Australian Government committed to this ask with an announcement that they would begin developing the Strategy and the provision of funding within the Federal Budget to do this and establish a sustainability unit. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler publicly acknowledged the RACP’s leadership in securing these outcomes.
As a result of building a strong relationship with the government through our policy and advocacy work, the RACP President Dr Jacqueline Small was appointed to serve on the Chief Medical Officer Advisory Group to inform the development of this Strategy which is due to be finalised in 2023.