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Climate justice at COP27

November 4, 2022

By Professor Jacqueline Peel Published on November 4, 2022 COP27, the intergovernmental United Nations conference on climate change, starts next week in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. The conference is billed as the ‘African COP’ – a chance for the developing countries’ voices to come to the fore in international climate negotiations. Many of the Egyptian Government’s initiatives are likely to have a local and African focus. Picture: Getty ImagesHowever, wedged between the fanfare of COP26 in Glasgow and the serious business of COP28 in Dubai – which will coincide with the first global stocktake of national action under the Paris Agreement – this COP is not likely to attract the media attention or public profile of last year’s summit.

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Our health is compromised by our global fossil fuel addiction

November 2, 2022

By Associate Professor Celia McMichael Published on November 2, 2022 Climate change threatens to undermine the health of people around the world, with more intense and frequent extreme weather events, increased heatwave exposure, climate-related food insecurity, alteration in the spread of infectious diseases and exacerbated mental ill-health. These are just some of the findings of the 2022 report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, published in The Lancet.

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The fiery curse of conservation

November 1, 2022

By Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher Published on November 1, 2022 It may feel unimaginable as the rain continues to fall, but southeast Australia also continues to face a bushfire crisis. We saw this crisis in action in the devastating 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. Fires that burnt nearly 25 million hectares of bush, devastated peoples’ homes and livelihoods, killed or displaced an estimated 3 billion animals and had an estimated total cost of up to $AU73 billion.

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Personalising mental health care

October 27, 2022

By Dr Warda Syeda Published on October 27, 2022 During an initial mental health consultation, some people can exhibit overlapping symptoms consistent with multiple conditions – like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, psychotic-like symptoms, and/or autism. Complex and overlapping mental health symptoms can lead to adjustments in diagnosis over time. Picture: Getty ImagesThese challenges can be in addition to intra-illness heterogeneity – this is where individuals with an identical diagnosis, like schizophrenia, can show vastly different symptoms or combinations of symptoms.

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Using evidence to design Australia’s economic policy

October 26, 2022

By Professor A. Abigail Payne Published on October 26, 2022 As we move out of the pandemic, face a global economic crisis and combat climate change, the agenda of Australia’s new government is full and challenging. The response to these factors will require bold public policies. These policies will permeate into every aspect of our lives, directly impacting individuals and communities. Public policy permeates every aspect of our lives, directly impacting individuals and communities.

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