RACGP welcomes GP expert appointment to government’s new climate and health advisory group

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) Climate and Environmental Medicine Chair Dr Catherine Pendrey has been appointed to the Australian Government’s Climate & Health Expert Advisory Group (CHEAG). 

RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said: “Safeguarding human health from the risks of climate change is a priority for the RACGP. 

“As Chair of the RACGP’s Climate and Environmental Medicine Specific Interests group, Dr Catherine Pendrey is well placed to advise on the impacts of climate change on human health. 

“Climate change is a global public health emergency, and GPs worldwide are seeing the impacts on their patients’ health, wellbeing and livelihoods. There is an urgent need to increase community and health system resilience in Australia – our leaders need to act now.” 

Dr Catherine Pendrey said she is honoured to represent Australia’s GPs and their patients on CHEAG. 

“Doctors in every corner of the globe are seeing the health impacts of climate change every day,” she said. 

“Bushfires, heatwaves, floods, and storms kill, cause injuries and long-term mental health impacts – and they’re more frequent and severe because of climate change. 

“The health impacts of climate change today, and for future generations, should be considered in government decisions, and I applaud the government for establishing the Climate & Health Expert Advisory Group. 

"To protect the health of children born today, we need the Australian Government to go further and stop approving new fossil fuel developments."   

Immediate past RACGP Climate and Environmental Medicine Chair Dr Kate Wylie, Doctors for the Environment Executive Director, has also been appointed to CHEAG.