In an article published in the New Zealand Medical Journal today a number of of senior health professionals call for New Zealand to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 to combat “the biggest global health threat of the 21st century”. Dr Alex Hamilton of the recently formed Climate and Health Group noted that in addition to the harms of inaction, the substantial health benefits of action should be taken into account in decision making. For example a low carbon transport system, utilising walking, cycling and public transport, would reduce road traffic crashes, pedestrian and cyclist deaths and urban air pollution.

A reduction of animal based food products, necessary in a low fossil-fuel society would result in less saturated fat and meat in the average diet, reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease and bowel cancer, as well as obesity. Improved energy efficiency in residential homes would reduce mortality and morbidity from the extremes of heat and cold. A significant change for a country with one of the highest winter mortality rates in the developed world. The savings in health care costs would reduce the total cost to society from taking strong action to mitigate climate change.

The Public Health Association (PHA) supported the views of the Climate and Health Group. acting National Executive Officer, Keriata Stuart stated in a press release;

Without a reduction in global carbon dioxide levels, we could see an increase in vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever; a greater number of severe storms and floods, which can cause injury and death and trigger infectious disease outbreaks; an increase in illness and death from heat stress during heat waves; and an increase in the risk of infectious disease transmission if greater numbers of environmental refugees move from Asia and the Pacific to New Zealand.