29/11/2018

Climate Change Threatens Our Children's Health As Well As Their Future

Fairfax - Fiona Stanley* | George Crisp*

The fight for the future of children is everywhere we look right now. From teachers rallying to get kids off Nauru, to young students striking for action on climate change.
As Australians we care for the future of our kids, yet there is one key issue that threatens this as much as anything - climate change.
Children are inherently vulnerable to the health effects of climate change for a number of reasons. These include physiological, developmental and behavioural factors.
Students are planning to go on strike to demand serious climate action. Credit: Eddie Jim
Children are more mentally impacted by extreme weather related disasters, with Australian research demonstrating higher rates of behavioural and emotional disturbance, anxiety and PTSD than in adults. As a group they are more vulnerable to physical injuries such as burns from fires and drowning and hypothermia from floods. These extreme events also compromise health services and the access to them, meaning delayed assessment and treatment.
Globally climate change is worsening or aggravating some of the leading causes of child mortality, including malnutrition, malaria and diarrhoea. In 2004 The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that around 140,000 deaths each year were attributable to climate change, a number projected to nearly double by 2030.
These effects even begin before birth, with evidence that exposure to heatwaves and air pollution during pregnancy can result in babies being born too small, which influences health throughout life. Extreme heat also influences air pollution and allergen levels, with children being more susceptible to asthma, allergies and respiratory conditions.
It’s a fundamental mammalian role to protect our offspring and provide a safe and nurturing environment for them. From early pregnancy, through childhood, to adulthood and independence, mammals prioritise care and safety for their children above all else.
Anyone who has watched nature documentaries or seen behaviour in the wild, of mother orangutans, elephants or bears with their young will be very aware of the depth of that familiar and special attention.
It is why it is so difficult to come to terms with the fact we are in a predicament where we are knowingly risking the future health and security of our children. Our health is already being impacted by climate change in numerous ways and most concerning, it is our children who bear the brunt of these impacts.
How could we have allowed this happen? Surely if we were aware of this, even if it were just a possibility, we would do everything in our power to stop it - as parents, as doctors, as human beings?
In spite of having been well aware of this situation for over three decades our governments and institutions in Australia have not yet implemented a sufficient evidence based response. The scientific principles underlying climate change are well established and with each passing year the impacts are becoming more evident and more troubling.
As doctors we recognise our role and responsibility to speak out and act when there are health risks in our communities. It is what we have always done when confronted with major public health issues such as HIV, Ebola or tobacco use. Therefore, we are now standing up in light of a child health crisis.
We are launching a new campaign called ‘No Time For Games’ in response to the IPCC advice that deep emissions cuts are needed by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5°C. We’re doing this as doctors because a rise in temperature by this much will dramatically increase the nature of extreme weather and therefore, danger the health of our children.
We ask our medical colleagues to join us by pledging support for urgent action towards climate change and therefore, the future health of children.
And we call upon all governments and institutions to recognise it is also their responsibility to take necessary action required to protect our country’s health. This starts by developing a national strategy on climate change and health and immediately reducing our country’s reliance on fossil fuels.
With the future of our children at stake, we must stand up and act before it’s too late.

*Professor Fiona Stanley is a doctor, epidemiologist, founder of the Telethon Kids Institute and former Australian of the Year.
*Dr George Crisp is a Perth GP and former WA Chair of Doctors for the Environment Australia.

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