Indicators

The MJA–Lancet countdown on health and climate change in Australia

Medical Journal of Australia and the Lancet

The MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change in Australia was established in 2017 and has produced five annual national assessments. It examines five broad domains: climate change impacts, exposures and vulnerability; adaptation, planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co‐benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. The MJA–Lancet Countdown tracks progress on an extensive suite of indicators across these five domains, accessing and presenting the latest data and analyses. Each year, an accompanying policy brief is also published by the team in collaboration with various stakeholder organisations.

MJA-Lancet Countdown Reports

Beggs et al

2023 MJA-Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: sustainability needed in Australia's health care sector

Globally, 2022 was the eighth warmest year on record, with a persistent La Niña event resulting in a cooler year than would otherwise have been the case. In Australia, the La Niña event contributed to 2022 being the ninth‐wettest year on record.

Beggs et al

The 2022 report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australia unprepared and paying the price

As Australia continued its battle against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) at the start of 2022, it was inevitably and unforgivingly reminded of the ongoing and escalating climate crisis.

Beggs et al

The 2021 report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australia increasingly out on a limb

Within the space of just over a year Australia has experienced its worst bushfires in living memory, extensive and unprecedented flooding in the east, and an unprecedented tropical cyclone in the south‐west of the country.

Zhang et al

The 2020 special report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: lessons learnt from Australia’s “Black Summer”

The effects of climate change are felt by populations around the world and across income groups, with the health of the Australian public uniquely at risk._1,2

Beggs et al

The 2019 report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: a turbulent year with mixed progress

The natural environments in which we live play a major role in our health and wellbeing and include the important roles of weather and climate.

Zhang et al

The MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australian policy inaction threatens lives

Climate is important to health and wellbeing, especially where climates are extreme and particularly variable, as in Australia.

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change: Policy briefs for Australia

2022 Policy Brief for Australia in collaboration with the MJA, RACP, AMA, AIDA, ACN, AMSA, and PHAA.

2021 Policy Brief for Australia in collaboration with RACP, AMA, AIDA, ACN, AMSA, and PHAA.

2020 Policy Brief for Australia in collaboration with the RACP, AMA, AMSA, and MJA.

2019 Policy Brief for Australia in collaboration with the MJA-Lancet Countdown Australia, RACP, AMSA, and MJA.

2018 Briefing for Australian policy makers in collaboration with the MJA, RACP, and AMSA.

2017 Briefing for Australian policy makers in collaboration with the RACP and AMSA.

Australian health performance framework

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

The AIHW’s Australian Health Performance Framework (AHPF) is a tool for reporting on the health of Australians, the performance of health care in Australia and the Australian health system. The indicators within the framework are grouped into determinants of health, health system and health status indicators. They can be disaggregated and analysed through selected population groups, providing a rich source of information at the National, State and Territory and local levels.

To find out more, visit AIHW – Australia’s Health Performance Framework

Environmental health indicators for selected environmental hazards in New South Wales

The University of Sydney and NSW Government

This project on Environmental Health (EH) indicators was commissioned to develop a system for tracking health impacts from environmental risk factors for communities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, to prioritise key areas of concern, and where possible to estimate the burden of diseases attributable to different exposures. EH indicators link exposures to biophysical, built, social and aesthetic environments to health effects.

To find out more, visit NSW Environmental Health Indicators

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We acknowledge the HEAL (Healthy Environments And Lives) National Research Network, which receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council Special Initiative in Human Health and Environmental Change (Grant No. 2008937).