Posts tagged ‘health’
Moreland Council questions Melbourne Airport expansion in a climate emergency
On Wednesday night (11 May, 2022) Moreland Council passed a motion authorising a submission to the 2022 Draft Preliminary Melbourne Airport Master Plan and Third Runway Major Development Plan. An amendment changed a rather insipid submission to one that correlated with Moreland’s forward thinking and past resolutions on the climate emergency and advocacy for sustainable transport.
Melbourne Airport are currently collating submissions by 16 May 2022. A report will then be prepared for the Federal Transport Minister to consider the Draft Airport Masterplan and the Major Development Plan and all the feedback. There is an active campaign against expansion of Melbourne Airport.
Some candidates for Wills electorate for the Federal election have answered a question on expansion of Melbourne airport.
(more…)Study finds 417 smoke related deaths from Australia’s climate fuelled Bushfire season
Bushfire smoke in Sydney, 18 December 2019
On January 1st 2020 Economics Professor John Quiggin estimated there would be hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths attributed to the deadly bushfire smoke that affected up to 80 per cent of Australia’s population, including in major capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, during the climate fuelled 2019-2020 bushfire season.
A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia in March 2020 estimated the excess health burden during 19 weeks continuous fire activity in the states most severely affected by bushfire smoke. It found that at least 417 deaths could be attriibuted to the bushfire smoke and the PM2.5 air pollution particulates, and over 4,000 hospitalisations.
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Open letter on unprecedented threat to health by climate change #climateelection
CAHA open letter cover #Ausvotes19
Climate Action Moreland have signed on to an Open Letter to Political Parties and Candidates for the Australian Federal Election 2019, raising the issue that Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to the health of people in Australia and across the world.
The Climate and Health Alliance have circulated the following open letter. We note that Federal Labor have committed to introducing a National Strategy based on the Framework for a National Strategy on Climate, Health and Well-being for Australia if elected to govern. The Australian Greens also support a National Strategy.
A climate scorecard has also been produced for the election by the Climate and Health Alliance, after analysing the policies of the three main political parties on climate change and health. Climate-Health Scorecard: Coalition earns 0/8, Federal Labor 4.5/8 and Greens 8/8
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Study finds Heart attacks more likely due to extreme temperature variation
It is not only heatwaves that pose a health problem with global warming but extreme temperature variation and single extreme heat days is increasing the likelihood of heart attacks new research shows.
A study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 67th Annual Scientific Session showed that heart attacks were more frequent with large temperature variations.
The study examined data from 30,000 hospital patients from at 45 Michigan hospitals between 2010-2016 and compared it to daily temperature variation extremes.
“Global warming is expected to cause extreme weather events, which may, in turn, result in large day-to-day fluctuations in temperature,” said Hedvig Andersson, MD, a cardiology researcher at the University of Michigan and the study’s lead author. “Our study suggests that such fluctuations in outdoor temperature could potentially lead to an increased number of heart attacks and affect global cardiac health in the future.”
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Moreland Council receives grant for mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect
Moreland’s social heat vulnerability
Moreland Council has received $80,000 grant funding from the Victorian Government on a project to minimise the impact of the Urban Heat Island Effect on vulnerable social housing residents.
The urban heat island effect results when urban surfaces heat up much faster than rural land. With temperatures climbing due to climate change and more extreme heat events predicted, the urban heat island effect will magnify the heat health impacts on the population, especially more vulnerable people like the young, the old, outside workers and those with medical conditions.
The grant funding was part of $1.15 million to support Council driven projects across Victoria in mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
The funding will assist the Council’s Urban Heat Island Strategy that is presently in draft mode about to go to Council for consideration for formal adoption at Council’s June 2016 meeting.
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La Trobe Valley coal mine rehabilitation bonds increased to $254 million
Premier Daniel Andrews announces response to Mine fire Inquiry in Morwell
On Friday the Andrews government announced in Morwell it’s response to the final landmark inquiry into the 2014 Hazelwood Mine Fire. This includes an initial $50 million in the Victorian state budget to implement the recommendations, and a major increase in the rehabilitation bonds for the three La Trobe Valley coal mines.
“The people of the Latrobe Valley have been completely vindicated. I’m so proud of their efforts. They never gave up and neither will we.” said Premier Dan Andrews.
The recommendations focus on 3 major areas: improving the health outcomes of the La Trobe Valley community, increased monitoring of air pollution, and improve progressive rehabilitation and end of life mine planning.
It highlights the importance of helping the La Trobe Valley transition away from coal, and in putting in place a just transition for the community. The increased focus on health and mine rehabilitation is a necessary first step for this transition.
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Expert statement on extreme heat and health
Last week I attended the release and launch of the Climate Council’s latest report of health impacts of extreme heatwaves. Climate change and the urban heat island effect result in increased frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. They are silent killers especially affecting those most vulnerable. Our political leaders need to heed the advice of the experts involved in this Climate Council report on heat health (PDF 4.2MB). They issued a concise statement calling for action (reproduced in full below).
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Extreme heat events requires climate adaptation and building resilience
We hope you have adapted to the heatwaves this summer in Melbourne. The change in the frequency, duration and intensity of Extreme heat events has been shown to be clearly linked to climate change and human carbon pollution.
It was gratifying to see the heat health threat has been amplified during recent emergency services briefings such as on Tuesday 12 January.
This clearly needed to happen as heat stress and heat related mortality is a substantial issue that has been poorly adressed in the past.
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Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 