Submission
There is now well-established evidence of the harm of transport emissions on health. In our response to the questions posed in the Roadmap, we outline the benefits and importance of including health co-costs and co-benefits in the transition to zero carbon
As the climate gets hotter and extreme weather events become more common, the health impacts associated with air pollution are expected to increase. More frequent and intense bushfires will result in increased particulate matter (PM) air pollution, emergency department attendances and health costs. Hotter temperatures are predicted to increase the concentration of aeroallergens (i.e., pollens), particulate matter air pollution, and other air pollutants such as fungi, mould, and windblown dust, with associated increased health burden. High temperatures and bushfires often coincide, producing a synergistic negative effect on health outcomes. Climate change is also expected to increase ground-level ozone, which is associated with a range of health issues including reduced lung function and increased hospital presentations and admission for asthma.
The home environment is crucial for health and wellbeing. People inhale 11,000 litres of air per day on average, mostly inside homes. Even small amounts of air pollution in the home environment can have a significant impact on health. Moreover, the people who are most vulnerable to air pollution (children, older adults and people with disabilities) spend a greater proportion of time indoors where they are exposed to a number of hazards relating to heating and cooking appliances, sealing and ventilation. As such, enhancing minimum rental standards presents a major opportunity to improve air quality in rental properties and consequently the health of renters.
The Centre for Safe Air and Asthma Australia welcome the opportunity to provide a submission to the inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (the Committee). Our joint submission addresses the Terms of Reference (TOR) most relevant to our shared interest in improving population health outcomes associated with airborne hazards. We note that the TOR did not explicitly include the health or wellbeing impacts of transitioning away from internal combustion engine vehicles. We urge the Committee to actively seek input from health stakeholders to ensure the full range of impacts, including benefits to health and wellbeing, are considered in the Committee’s inquiry and report.
Summary of recommendations
1. Health stakeholders should be invited to comment on the efficacy of Australia’s waste and recycling policies, especially in relation to air quality and health impacts of emissions from waste-to-energy (WtE) processes.
2. A full assessment of the environmental impacts life cycle assessments (LCAs) of WtE plants should be considered on a case-by-case basis to evaluate the risks and benefits of pollutant emissions and less obvious potential impacts on the local and wider community, within the life cycle of WtE and alternative/traditional processes.
3. The establishment of a nationally consistent best-practice approach to monitoring and minimising harmful emissions from WtE processes.
4. National consistency is required to consider health benefits/disbenefits for any new biofuel product including adequate health and toxicity consideration.
5. Consideration be given to the safe recycling and reuse of end-of-life components from low-no carbon technologies such as batteries, PVC panels and wind turbine components.
Summary of key recommendations:
1. The increasing risks posed by air pollution should be explicitly included in The National Adaptation Plan Issues Paper.
2. The National Adaptation Plan needs to take an equity-oriented approach to adapting to the impacts and disruption caused by climate change and worsening air pollution.
3. The National Adaptation Plan Issues Paper should include air quality as a crosssystem risk impacting a range of health, environment and economic systems.
4. Given the cross-system risks presented by air pollution, we advocate for a dedicated, comprehensive, inter-agency governance body for air pollution, such as exist for food and water safety.
5. We support the inclusion of co-benefits as a consideration in ‘Prioritising adaptation actions’ in The National Adaptation Plan Issues Paper.
6. The National Adaptation Plan Issues Paper should include communication, education and engagement under 3.3 Enablers of adaptation action.
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