Australia

About the Climate and Health Alliance

CAHA logoThe Healthy Energy Initiative in Australia is coordinated by the Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA). CAHA is an alliance of organizations and health sector professionals working to increase public and political awareness of the health impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. The membership of CAHA  includes organisations and individuals from a broad cross section of the health sector, with 26 organisational members representing health care professionals from medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, social work and psychology, as well as health care service providers, institutions, academics, researchers, and health consumers. CAHA delivers high quality advocacy and policy research and is a source of innovative ideas to support evidence-based public policy on climate and health issues.

Highlights

Building from a coal and health pilot initiative, CAHA has launched a national health sector campaign calling for a transition away from coal and toward renewable energy. Springing from a highly successful Healthy and Energy Roundtable initiative, CAHA’s work has entered the advocacy phase, influencing the position of more than 15 health and medical organizations representing over 70 health and medical groups.

CAHA_HunterValley_CoverIn early 2015 CAHA released a report, Coal and Health in the Hunter: Lessons from One Valley for the World, which provides an insight into the evidence of the harm – local, national, and global – from coal production in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. The report is accompanied by Recommendations for Action, Summary for Policymakers, Case Studies, Infographics and Videos.

CAHA_HealthAndEnergyChoices_CoverCAHA published a joint position paper and background paper on Health and Energy Choices in 2014. The Position Paper outlines the concerns and recommendations for action to reduce risks to health from current energy choices. It was produced by a collaboration of health sector organisations concerned that the health impacts Australia’s energy choices are not being considered in public policy decision-making. An accompanying Background Paper provides an overview of evidence with regard to the risks to human health and wellbeing associated with fosHumanCostofPower_Thumbsil fuel energy resources as well as their alternatives.

In 2013 CAHA produced a critically acclaimed short film called “The Human Cost of Power,” which explores the health impacts associated with the massive expansion of coal and unconventional gas in Australia. The film has received international attention at UN global climate talks, health conferences, and film festivals.

Learn more in our posts about energy and health issues in Australia.

Connect with the Climate and Health Alliance: