The Silent Killer: Climate Change and the Health Impacts of Extreme Heat

04.03.16 By
This content is more than 8 years old

More needs to be done to prepare Australia’s health and community sectors to cope with the pressures from more frequent and severe heatwaves, our new report has found.

The Silent Killer: Climate Change and the Health Impacts of Extreme Heat found that although many states have taken significant steps to upgrade their heat and health warning systems since the deadly heatwaves of 2009, strategies vary considerably from state to state and focus primarily on reactive rather than long-term planning.

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Silent Killer Report

 

KEY FINDINGS

1. Climate change is a serious health threat for many Australians.

2. As extreme heat events worsen, the risk of adverse human health impacts is increasing.

3. Heatwaves can put intense pressure on health services.

4. While the health sector has made significant steps in improving resilience to heatwave events, more needs to be done.

5. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions rapidly and deeply is the best way to protect Australians from worsening extreme heat events.

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