COTA SA takes the threat of climate change seriously and our passionate Climate Change Group is focused on the actions that can be taken at a policy, organisational and personal level that tackle climate change. COTA SA’s surveys show that the many older South Australians have a real desire to contribute to the prevention of, and adaptation to, climate change.

The adverse effect of climate change on the health of the community is evident in the rising cost of energy, heat and cold-related ill health and extreme weather events. The impacts of climate change are disproportionately felt by those on low and fixed incomes and vulnerable community members, including a substantial proportion of older people, as they will have the least capacity to mitigate climate change and adapt to extreme weather conditions.

COTA SA congratulates SA Health on the development of the draft SA Health Climate Change Framework, illustrating the SA Government’s intention to develop a climate-resilient health system. This is vital for the wellbeing of all South Australians, particularly the older and younger members of the community.

We support the broad aims of the proposed Framework, noting that the Framework is primarily focused on SA Health, the various agencies falling within its scope (as outlined on page 5), and the broader health sector. The Framework’s Vision Statement asserts that it “empowers the community to take necessary actions to protect their health”.

In our submission, we have three suggestions to strengthen the draft Framework:

• Partnerships
• Community Engagement
• Mental Health