Election 2019 – Climate change and health
WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE FOR WOMEN?
• The impacts of air pollution from coal power stations, and rising CO2, as well as the resultant climate impacts, such as heat waves, rising temperature, drought and climate related disasters have specific systemic outcomes for women.
• Health-related impacts specific to women include negative birth outcomes, including intrauterine growth and congenital defects and premature mortality correlated with air pollution. Women and girls are also at higher risk of physical and domestic violence in the period following disasters.
• A high proportion of women are informal carers roles for the sick, children and elderly. Climate events result in increased respiratory deaths in the neonatal period, childhood asthma and heart disease, and premature mortality particularly in the elderly and children. The psychological stress involved in caring for family members is further exacerbated by reduced workforce participation, longer disaster recovery times and lower incomes.
• Rural, impoverished and indigenous populations are particularly susceptible to negative health impacts of climate change; this is amplified when women and girls have a lower socioeconomic status.