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Health impacts of climate change

Climate change has been declared a public health crisis by the World Health Organisation, Australian Medical Association and most Australian Specialist Medical Colleges. Climate change is first and foremost a health problem. The impacts on human health can be explained through the climate’s impact on the environment we interact with, as shown in the graphic below.

source: https://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/

Our surf life savers are vulnerable to the same health problems as the rest of the community, however our physical competition and lifesaving activities on the beach, put our members at a higher risk.

Hundreds of people die prematurely every year in Australia due to the global warming which has already occurred (Vicedo-Cabrera et al (2021) Nature Climate Change).

Heat stress is more prevalent in extremes of age and outdoor athletes.

Renal impairment has been demonstrated in outdoor workers, exposed to higher temperatures.

Hot weather leads to more heart attacks. Heart attack increases in Melbourne by 38% if 3 consecutive days average Temperature  > 27C or 10% increase if daily average temperature >30˚C

Premature births and stillbirths   ~  increase 5% for every 1˚C rise in ambient temperature (BMJ 2020;371:m3811). At what stage of pregnancy should our members avoid outdoor competition and lifesaving?

Mental health admissions increased by 7.3% during heat waves, based on Adelaide data.

For more detailed information on the health impacts of climate change read the Doctor’s for the Environment Australia report: “How climate change affects your health” (August 2021)

  • Climate Action Motions for your AGM
  • Electric ATV on patrol?
  • When will we have an electric IRB or jetski?
  • Line in the sand: No future for fossil fuel sponsors in surf lifesaving
  • Socials: Contact and collaborate with us

Sustain.Surf

3 weeks 3 days ago

If you’re in and around Cott, get along to understand how climate change will affect the local coastline. Swanbourne Nedlands Surf Life Saving Club North

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Sustain.Surf

Sustain.Surf

3 weeks 5 days ago

ZeroJet any chance you can squeeze one of your jet systems into a Surf Life Saving spec Inflatable Rescue Boat? Perhaps Thundercat Inflatable would need

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Sustain.Surf

1 month 4 weeks ago

Nice work Marko!

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Sustain.Surf

2 months 2 weeks ago

New committees are being voted in to clubs across Aus. Those directors need to consider climate change risks in their management of the clubs. aicd.companydirectors.com.au/advocacy/governance-leadership-centre/external-environment/climate-change-and-directors-duties

Climate Change and Directors Duties

A new legal opinion argues that directors should turn their minds to climate change risks as part of their duty of care.

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Sustain.Surf

2 months 2 weeks ago

It's AGM season in many surf clubs. A time to get involved. One way to give your board a mandate to act on climate change

Climate Action Motions for your AGM - Sustain Surf

Get your surf club to declare climate change as a threat to its members and infrastructure through an AGM motion. Drive action.

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Sustain.Surf

2 months 4 weeks ago

Time to get some electric ATVs on patrols. There are options but Surf Life Saving Australia needs to see if they stand up to testing

Electric ATV on patrol? - Sustain Surf

Electrification of mobility is a essential step in reduction of carbon emissions and will have benefits for surf life saving members and beachgoers. Electric vehicles have much fewer moving parts and less maintenance requirements. An electric ATV will simply be plugged in to a 10 amp power point ove...

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Sustain.Surf

4 months 1 day ago

Over 10 years since Surf Life Saving Australia published a report outlining the risks to surf club infrastructure from climate change. A great report but

Surf clubs under threat from climate change

A report for Surf Lifesaving Australia shows more than half of country's surf lifesaving clubs are being threatened by extreme tides and weather conditions.

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Sustain.Surf

4 months 1 week ago

Long time IRB motor supplier Mercury are teasing their new electric outboard. Hot swappable batteries IN the outboard. Wonder if we'll need a reconfigured Thundercat

Mercury Avator Electric Outboard Concept: Inspired Innovation

The Mercury Avator electric outboard concept represents our next step forward in marine innovation, as Mercury progresses toward the formal release of electr...

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Sustain.Surf

4 months 2 weeks ago

This content isn't available right now

This gives some insights into why doing outside physical activity, like surf patrol or beach competition, is dangerous in extreme heat, something becoming more common

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Sustain.Surf

4 months 3 weeks ago

E Class Outboards are making electric outboards and prototyping batteries which could be suitable for an inflatable rescue boat. Once they are ready for testing,

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