Report of the
Lancet Countdown
The latest report from the Lancet Countdown Oceania tracks progress on health and climate change in Australia, as well as trends in New Zealand.
The seventh iteration of the Australia report, it monitors progress across 25 indicators over five broad domains.
This report was compiled with the contribution of 25 experts from 15 institutions across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Key Messages
Australia is facing increasing health threats from climate change
Exposure to heatwaves is growing in Australia, heightening the risk of heat stress, bushfires, and drought. In the face of this threat, this report finds steps are being taken in the wrong direction. Australia’s energy supply remains dominated by fossil fuels, with a notable increase in energy from oil and petrol in recent years. Meanwhile, the number of firefighting volunteers has dropped by 38,442 people (17%) in seven years, weakening Australia’s response to bushfires.
Emerging signs of progress on action to secure a healthy future
The Australian Government completed the first pass of the National Climate Risk Assessment, prioritizing health and social support among eleven key risks. Renewable sources like wind and solar now provide almost 40% of Australia’s electricity, with significant growth in both large-scale and small-scale renewable generation and battery storage systems. Furthermore, the sale of electric vehicles reached an all-time high in 2023, accounting for 8.47% of all new vehicle sales.
Pivotal moment to secure accelerated action to protect health
There are strong signs that Australians are increasingly engaged and acting on health and climate change, and a new indicator on health and climate change litigation in Australia demonstrates the legal system is active on this issue in this country. This progress must continue and accelerate, and the remaining deficiencies in Australia’s response to the health and climate change threat must now be addressed.
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Find out more about the experts behind the latest Lancet Countdown Oceania report
Explore key findings of this year’s report
The 2024 Australia report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australia emerging as a hotspot for litigation
HEALTH HAZARDS, EXPOSURES, AND IMPACTS
A changing climate has profound implications for human health, with more frequent heat waves and extreme weather events, changing patterns of infectious disease transmission, deterioration of food and water resources, impacts on socioeconomic conditions, and the exacerbation of existing health challenges around the world. Indicators in this section track the multiple ways in which climate change threatens human health and wellbeing.
1.1 Exposure of vulnerable populations to heatwaves
Heatwave intensity is increasing – with a long-term trend showing a 26% rise in excess heat factor in the most recent 20 years.
1.2 Heat and physical activity
In 2023, Australians were exposed to 132.1, 66.8 and 8.0 annual hours where ambient conditions posed a moderate, high and extreme heat stress risk during light physical activity, respectively.
1.4 Drought
In 2023, about 20% of land in Australia had excess levels of exceptional drought. Furthermore, Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, had the driest six months since rainfall data were first recorded almost 150 years ago.
ADAPTATION, PLANNING, AND RESILIENCE FOR HEALTH
With climate change increasingly threatening the health and wellbeing of populations in every country, actions to build resilience and adapt to climate change are urgently needed. This section tracks how communities, health systems, and governments are understanding the health risks of climate change, the strategies and resources they are deploying, and how adaptation and resilience measures are being implemented globally.
2.1 Health adaptation plans and assessments
The Australian Government released its first National Health and Climate Strategy in December 2023, and also allocated $27.4 million over two years to deliver the first National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan.
2.3 Migration and displacement
In 2023, 170,701 people in Australia were living less than one metre above sea level. Meanwhile, weather-related disasters (floods, storms, bushfires) displaced 4,674 people in 2023.
2.4 Bushfire adaptation
Although National Aerial Firefighting Centre aircraft services have increased since 2007–08, from just over 30 to the current 161, the number of volunteer firefighters and support staff is currently at its lowest point since 2009-10 when reporting began.
MITIGATION ACTIONS AND HEALTH CO-BENEFITS
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential to limit the health threats of climate change. Simultaneously, many of the interventions required to mitigate and adapt bring enormous benefits for human health and wellbeing in the form of cleaner air, healthier diets, and more liveable cities. Tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century. Indicators in this section track the world’s efforts to mitigate climate change, and the health benefits of this response.
3.1 Energy systems and health
The carbon intensity of Australia’s total primary energy supply sits at 66.6 tCO2 /TJ in 2022, which means that there has overall been minimal progress in decarbonisation.
3.2 Clean household energy
In 2023, close to 338,000 new rooftop solar systems were installed across Australia, up from around 310,000 in 2022. Australia has more rooftop solar panels per person than anywhere else in the world.
3.7 Health care sector emissions
From 2010 to 2021, absolute and per capita greenhouse gas emissions from Australia’s health care sector rose by 113% and 81% respectively, hitting an unprecedented peak in 2021.
ECONOMICS AND FINANCE
The health impacts of climate change have profound economic implications. This section tracks the economic costs of the health impacts of climate change and its drivers, as well as the extent to which the world’s economy and financial systems are enabling the transition to a health-promoting, zero-carbon economy.
4.1 Economic losses due to climate-related extreme events
The average inflation-adjusted annual insured loss over the past five years was the highest on record at $3.479 billion.
4.2 Clean energy investment
In the financial year 2022–23, 2400MW of additional renewable electricity generation capacity entered the market, while 1500MW of coal-fired generation and 120MW of gas-fired generation were removed.
4.4 Funds divested from fossil fuels
Around 90% of the National Electricity Market’s 21GW of coal capacity are projected to retire before 2035, and the entire fleet before 2040.
PUBLIC AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Public and political engagement underpins the foundations of the world’s collective response to climate change, with reductions in global emissions at the speed required by the Paris Agreement depending on engagement from all sectors of society. The indicators in this section track the links between health and climate change in the media, national governments, the corporate sector, and the broader public.
5.2 Scientific engagement in health and climate change
In 2023, there were 525 new scientific publications for Australia, marking a 29% increase from 2022 (407) and a 31-fold increase since 2008.
5.3 Health and climate change research funding
The year 2023 saw a considerable increase in National Health and Medical Research Council health and climate change grant applications — however, just two of the 31 applications were funded.
5.5 Health and climate change litigation in Australia
Australia is a hotspot for climate litigation, with the second highest number of such cases globally. Health was raised as an issue in eleven Australian climate cases from 2014 to 2023.
Director of the Lancet Countdown Oceania
“Our latest report is a stark reminder that the health impacts of climate change in Australia are real and growing. While there are promising signs of progress – from rising renewable energy uptake to increased climate and health litigation efforts – our response remains outpaced by the accelerating threat. Protecting the health of Australians now and for future generations demands urgent, coordinated action across sectors, grounded in science and equity”