3rd February 2022

On March 3rd 2023, Australian medical students will join forces with thousands of activists for
the Global Climate Strike occurring simultaneously in nine locations across all states in
Australia.

“As the future doctors of Australia, we are striking for the health of all our future patients and
for the planet.” said Mikaela Misso, AMSA Code Green Co-National Coordinator.
Anthropogenic climate change poses an immense threat to human health and wellbeing
globally.

“From the acute harm caused by extreme weather events, to the exacerbation of
cardiovascular and respiratory disease burden, to the detrimental economic and psychological
impact on populations, climate change is the greatest global health threat of the 21st century,”
said Ms Misso.

“Climate change is inextricably linked to health inequity,” warned Emily Coady, AMSA Code
Green Co-National Coordinator.

“The Australian government’s continued lack of effective leadership in mitigating climate
degradation will disproportionately harm vulnerable communities including children, the
elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions, as well as rural and Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities,” said Ms Coady.

This follows the Australian government’s recent approval of a Santos application allowing
construction and operation of up to 116 gas wells in the Surat Basin in QLD until 2077.[1]
“This is yet another destructive step taken by our nation’s leaders that only serves to
aggravate and magnify the current climate crisis our country faces,” said Tish Sivagnanan,
President of AMSA.

AMSA echoes the demands of School Strike for Climate as well as leading climate health
bodies who call upon the Australian government to:

● Develop and implement a National Climate Change and Health Strategy to ensure the
preparedness of the healthcare sector to adapt to climate pressures;
● Achieve complete renewable energy use by investment in renewable energy
technologies, such as wind and solar, over coal mining and hydraulic fracturing to
reduce the burden of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases;
● Develop a moratorium on all new fossil fuel projects, in accordance with IPCC
recommendations.

AMSA is the peak representative body for Australia’s 18,000 medical students.AMSA Code
Green advocates for stronger climate health outcomes, environmental rights and fights for the
health of our planet and the people who depend on it.

References

1. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/21/making-climate-crisis-worse-greens-blast-labor-after-queensland-coal-seam-gas-expansion-approved

Media contacts
Tish Sivagnanan, AMSA President
[email protected]
0433 446 220

Mihan De Silva, Public Relations Officer
[email protected]
0406 944 567