The Earth’s climate is rapidly changing. An increase in greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere has led to a rise in average global temperatures by 1°C since the pre-industrial era, with most of the warming taking place over the past three decades.

Climate scientists agree that the changes are being driven by human activities and have emphasised the criticality of climate action in the next 10 years to limit further warming.

To date, societal action has not proved timely or sufficient, either globally or in Australia, to counter the evident public health threat from climate change. Rising temperatures and changing climatic conditions, including more frequent and intense extreme weather events, have been linked with both direct and indirect impacts on human health, including heat-related illnesses, injury, and infectious and respiratory diseases.

The health sector itself is also a significant contributor to emissions, with a recent Australian study estimating that the sector contributes around seven per cent of all national greenhouse gas emissions.

The State Government has committed to addressing risks and seizing opportunities that climate change poses and transitioning to a low-carbon economy by 2050. In announcing this Inquiry, the Minister for Health acknowledged the need to adapt to climate change to protect the health of the community, but also asked how WA health services can do more to implement change, including reducing emissions and waste and increasing energy efficiency.

The ten chapters of this report critically examine the information gathered and lead to a series of overall findings and recommendations. The first five chapters cover the challenges faced by the WA health sector with respect to climate change, and the last five chapters cover the recommended response.