As the primary drivers of climate change, fossil fuels are responsible for the climate health emergency. Doctors and other health professionals who are on the frontline of care are seeing the escalating impacts in their clinics and in emergency departments. This report consolidates key evidence demonstrating how fossil fuels endanger health and outlines a treatment plan.

The report diagnoses the health hazard of fossil fuels by highlighting their direct impacts on our physical and mental well-being, as well as the broader systems essentials for human health and survival. 

The health impacts of climate change - key findings

• It is increasing the incidence and severity of heat and heatwaves, droughts, bushfires and bushfire smoke, storms, and other extreme weather events
• It is changing the patterns of infectious diseases
• It is adding to the mental health burden across the globe, especially in young people
• It is contributing to biodiversity loss, increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases
• It is causing rising sea levels, placing coastal communities at risk
• It is threatening food and water security
• The combustion of fossil fuels kills more people globally than smoking.

Recommendations

• Ban all new fossil fuel projects and accelerate investment in renewables
• Stop financial subsidies to fossil fuel industries and redirect them to carbon-free initiatives 
• Ban fossil fuel advertising and industry sponsorship, just like we did with smoking
• Ban single-use and non-recyclable plastics and switch to reusable and/or compostable products 
• Protect biodiversity and ban native forest logging 
• Prepare healthcare and the wider community for what we can no longer avoid.