Environmental health news: Climate change 'poses a serious threat'

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has stated that climate change poses serious risks to public health.

Addressing the Australian delegation at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce urged them to take action on global warming for the benefit of human health.

He said: "Climate change will dramatically alter the patterns and rate of spread of diseases, rainfall distribution, availability of drinking water and drought."

In addition to cutting carbon emissions, Dr Pesce stressed that global medical services need to be equipped to deal with the health effects of climate change.

Resources need to be channelled towards both the health impact of gradual climate change as well as aid following extreme events, such as drought, Dr Pesce stated.

Earlier this year, the World Medical Association (WMA) set out its position on climate change and its global health effects.

In a declaration published in October, the WMA called on governments to "recognise the serious consequences for health" that will be brought about by climate change.

Posted by Joseph Hutton