Living with Climate Change: Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Factsheets for Australia: Human Health

Australia experiences considerable climate variability, with periods of extreme dry weather, heat, drought and flood, all of which can lead to illness, disease, injury and death. While the health impacts of sudden extreme events in recent years has received high profile attention nationally there is also increasing concern about the mental health consequences of prolonged drought in rural Australia and its impact on agricultural production, rural livelihoods and community wellbeing and mental health. This factsheet summarizes some adaptation practices and options that could be implemented to address these issues, and provides future research priorities to be considered. The need for strategic health service planning is highlighted, as well as the need for infrastructure planning. Opportunities to develop co-benefits for health from adaptation initiatives are also described.