Clean Energy For Health: Victoria

Clean Energy For Health - VIC

Let's create a healthier future for all Victorians!

We know that climate change is the biggest health threat of the 21st century and that transitioning to clean energy will yield enormous health benefits right across the state.

In the lead up to this year's state election, we're calling for a bipartisan commitment from the Victorian government and opposition to support a policy of 100% renewable energy for Victoria by 2030. This will protect our health and our climate and is line with recommendations by the World Health Organization.

If you work or study in health, please sign the open letter.

If you’re a health organisation please email us here: [email protected]

If you don't work or study in health, we'd love you to share this page with your networks.

Organisational Signatories:

RACGP RANZCO TSANZ VAHPA ASU AEA logo Climate Health Alliance HSU logo MSAV logo Health Care Consumers EHA SOMANZ HF logo

renewable energy clean air Climate Change victoria

300 Signatures

245 Signatures

Will you sign?

To: The Hon. Daniel Andrews, Premier, The Hon. Matthew Guy MP, The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP, Mr James Newbury MP, The Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas MP, Ms Georgie Crozier MLC

We, the undersigned healthcare workers, health organisations and health science students, call for a bipartisan commitment in advance of this year’s state election for 100% of Victoria’s stationary energy to be produced from renewable sources by 2030.

Climate change is the biggest health threat of the 21st century [1]. In Victoria we have seen firsthand physical and mental health impacts from increased extreme weather events such as bushfires and floods. During the 2019-20 bushfires an estimated 120 Victorians died from smoke inhalation alone [2].

Victoria’s biggest contributor to climate change is the burning of fossil fuels. This also produces air pollution that causes a range of illnesses including lung cancers, asthma, heart disease, stroke and diabetes as well as low weight births and premature deaths.

Those of us who live and work in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland are particularly concerned as the health impacts of air pollution from fossil fuel-based electricity are disproportionately high in these communities. Burning gas in homes also contributes significantly to asthma [3,4].

A transition to renewable energy can yield enormous health benefits across the state. An analysis released in April this year estimated that bringing forward the closure of just one coal power plant to 2030 (Loy Yang A) would save 1500 lives, prevent 32,000 instances of child asthma symptoms and 1900 babies from being born underweight [5].

Climate change requires a bipartisan approach, and with this in mind we request that you make a commitment that if elected in November your government will commit to implementing a plan for 100% of Victoria’s stationary energy to be produced from renewable sources by 2030.

We urge you to protect Victorians from the twin health threats of air pollution and climate change by taking the above action.

We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

[signatories]

[1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health

[2] https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/213/6/unprecedented-smoke-related-health-burden-associated-2019-20-bushfires-eastern (Box 2)

[3] https://www.car-cre.org.au/gas-and-health-position-paper

[4] https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2018/208/7/damp-housing-gas-stoves-and-burden-childhood-asthma-australia

[5] https://www.healthyfutures.net.au/loyyanga