A stable climate is a fundamental determinant of human health and the aim to limit warming to 1.5°C
is a critically important long term public health goal. Additionally, the population wide health cobenefits of decarbonisation are significant with improved air quality proven to have a preventative effect on the disease burden attributable to cardiovascular and respiratory health (Zhang et al. 2020).
The health sector is responsible for 7% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions (Malik et al. 2018). Achieving net-zero healthcare will significantly contribute to emissions reductions in Australia and will lead to economic and health co-benefits (Goa et al. 2018). As Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) have noted ‘Ironically, as it currently operates, the healthcare sector is producing its own patients.’ (Charlesworth 2021).