The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, has announced funding for three climate change adaptation and health research projects under the Health Challenges of Climate Change special initiative.
The initiative has now seen a total of $1.9 million allocated to research to better understand the health related impacts of climate change. The projects funded under the initiative are jointly funded by the Australian Government’s peak health and medical research funding body, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
“These grants are part of the Government’s comprehensiveclimate change strategy which includes investing in research to prepare for the climate change impacts which we cannot avoid,” Mr Combet said.
“The health risks from climate change range from a greater incidence of infectious diseases, and an increase in bushfire-related injuries, to more heat-related death and illness.”
The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, said these grants were anessential part of the Australian Government’s plans to bolster health and medical research to improve the well-being of all Australians.
“Climate change is one of the greatest threats we are facing in Australia and it is vital that we support the efforts of our researchers to gain a better understanding of its impact on our health,” Mr Butler said.
The projects will look at key areas of concern in relation to climate change and its potential impacts on the health of Australians.
- Associate Professor Shilu Tong’s team from the Queensland University of Technology will look at establishing and assessing relationships between climate variables such as temperature, humidity and rainfall changes and the transmission of Ross River Virus.
- Associate Professor David Harley’s team from the Australian National University will look at determining the relationship between climate and dengue transmission in Australia and estimate the impact of impending climate change on the health system, including the availability of donor blood supply.
- Dr Donna Green’s team from the University of New South Wales will look at identifying connections between climate, and the health and well-being of Indigenous people in the tropical north of Australia.
The funding of these three projects follow the two projects jointly receiving $1.2 million in the 2009/10 funding round.
- Professor Anthony McMichael’s team from the Australian National University has been analysing the health risks associated with environmental, social and economic impacts of three climate-induced changes (drought, extreme weather events and bushfires) on rural communities.
- Associate Professor KeithDear’s team from the Australian National Universityhas been studing the impacts of heat stress to identify who is at risk, how they are at risk, and where they live; and will help explore what public health measures will best protect Australians in a warming climate.
The projects are part of the national research collaboration being coordinated through the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility which is helping to generate the information needed by decision-makers in government and in vulnerable sectors and communities to manage the risks of climate change impacts.
More information on these and other NHMRC grants can be found on the NHMRC website at www.nhmrc.gov.au
Media Contacts:
Claire Pitham (NHMRC) 0422 008 512
Gia Hayne (Combet) 0412 060 406
Adam Smith (Butler) 0407 415 484