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Doctors are warning that the health system needs to prepare for increased rates of climate change-related illness in the population.
The Climate Change Institute has released a report by Doctors for the Environment, which warns that floods, droughts, rising seas and higher temperatures caused by climate change will bring a raft of health problems.
Co-author Doctor Graeme Horton says that includes more cases of heat stroke, mosquito-transmitted diseases and gastroenteritis outbreaks.
He says its important for the health system and the community to be prepared to cope with the strain.
"Climate change is clearly much, much more than an economic inconvenience - it is a threat to our life support systems," he said.
He says the elderly, children and those living in coastal and rural areas will be among those worst affected.
"For Australian communities we're expecting in coming years more heat waves, more effects of heat stress and more days of high to extreme fire danger," he said.
"We're expecting more storms and extreme weather events and the health impacts of these will include flooding and trauma and infectious disease outbreaks."
The report has been released on the eve of World Health Day, which has the theme "protecting health from climate change".
The Climate Change Institute has released a report by Doctors for the Environment, which warns that floods, droughts, rising seas and higher temperatures caused by climate change will bring a raft of health problems.
Co-author Doctor Graeme Horton says that includes more cases of heat stroke, mosquito-transmitted diseases and gastroenteritis outbreaks.
He says its important for the health system and the community to be prepared to cope with the strain.
"Climate change is clearly much, much more than an economic inconvenience - it is a threat to our life support systems," he said.
He says the elderly, children and those living in coastal and rural areas will be among those worst affected.
"For Australian communities we're expecting in coming years more heat waves, more effects of heat stress and more days of high to extreme fire danger," he said.
"We're expecting more storms and extreme weather events and the health impacts of these will include flooding and trauma and infectious disease outbreaks."
The report has been released on the eve of World Health Day, which has the theme "protecting health from climate change".
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