Climate and health

Climate variability has profound effects on our environment, health and societies. Shifting weather patterns, including increased rainfall and changing migration patterns are linked to the emergence of serious infectious diseases like Japanese encephalitis in mainland Australia, where previously it was undetected. Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, floods, and storms place additional strain on healthcare delivery, disrupting services and exacerbating health risks for vulnerable populations. While the healthcare sector is an essential part of the response to climate change, it is inadvertently a notable contributor, responsible for around 5% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally.

Our climate-related research aims to examine how changes to the climate influence infectious disease patterns and explore evidence-based sustainability solutions for the healthcare system.

Current projects

WATCH Study

Capturing the perceptions and knowledge of Victorian health system employees around climate change and health, to inform net zero health system strategies.

Heat Care Project at SEACO

Led by Monash Malaysia, this project is enhancing heat health literacy and testing heat mitigation strategies to reduce indoor heat exposure in Southeast Asia.

Climate change evidence synthesis

A collaboration with ALEC and Cochrane Australia to produce climate-relevant evidence to guide critical healthcare decision-making.

Carbon footprint of medication packaging

With packaging responsible for around 10% of healthcare’s carbon footprint, we’re analysing and reporting on different types.