Overview

Adapting to a changing climate

The health of our planet is interlinked with human health and wellbeing. People across New South Wales (NSW) are already experiencing the impacts of a changing climate. While changes vary across the state, in general we are seeing higher temperatures, changes to rainfall patterns, and increases in fire weather and the risk of bushfire. Changes to our everyday weather and the weather extremes are driving disasters. Most recently these have included the unprecedented cycle of heatwaves, droughts, bushfires, storms and floods.

These changes in weather directly affect our health and wellbeing in many ways. For example, exposure to higher temperatures can cause heat stroke or heat exhaustion. More frequent floods and bushfires may cause more injury and death.

The effects of climate change can also affect human health in indirect ways including lung and heart disease from air pollution; anxiety and depression may increase in communities where extreme weather displaces people from their homes and impacts their livelihoods; food- and water-borne disease may increase with rising temperature: mosquito-borne disease may spread more easily under warmer and wetter weather conditions: poor nutrition can result from a decrease in the supply and affordability of healthy food due to extreme weather: allergens worsen due to changes to pollen seasons and conditions that promote mould growth.

In recognition of the urgent need to address the health risks of climate change, the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Aged Care launched Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy. The Strategy sets out the whole of government plan to address the health and wellbeing impacts of climate change and address the health system’s contribution to climate change.

In Australia and internationally, the pace of change in decarbonisation, and the shift to low-carbon and circular economies is progressing rapidly. Within NSW Health, our staff are implementing innovative programs, technologies, policies and practices towards the NSW Government’s net zero targets.

This roadmap will be reviewed and updated as our climate risk response matures.