The global climate and health agenda: Australia must do more

The health impacts of climate change are undeniable.1 A recent editorial in the BMJ entitled “call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity, and protect health” has acted as the impetus for writing this editorial about climate change action to protect and promote health in Australia.2 The aforementioned editorial was co-published simultaneously in many of the world's leading health and medical journals, including Health Promotion International and Health Promotion Journal of Australia (HPJA) (hyperlink), in advance of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly to be held in September 2021, and ahead of the Biodiversity Summit in Kunming, China, and the Climate Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom.2 A key message is that global action on climate change and health has been grossly inadequate and is subsequently perpetuating health inequities.1, 2 The editorial was an urgent call to action directed towards the world's wealthiest nations.2 We argue that Australia must do more to intervene, and urgently.