Dermatologists Declare a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency
Movement Declaration
The climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are the two most serious issues of our time. Indeed, the climate crisis threatens the survival of humanity and all life on planet Earth.
Dermatologists Declare are determined to raise awareness of these issues, and are determined to contribute to change.
The climate emergency is a health emergency.
Public health is currently under threat. Australia has recently experienced an unprecedented bushfire crisis. Without action, we will continue to live through the hardship of a deteriorating climate in the years to come. The health, social stability and future of humanity, and all life on planet earth, are at risk. 1,2
The climate emergency will have adverse dermatological consequences. These include increased incidence of vector borne diseases and other infections, increased cutaneous malignancy, rising temperatures that can aggravate skin disease, and psychological stress. Our specialty is responsible for looking after children, who will be particularly severely affected.
The health care system in Australia is responsible for an estimated 7% of Australia’s carbon footprint.
Urgent and rapid action needs to be taken to reduce carbon emissions according to the science or we are likely to pass planetary tipping points 3. The latest IPCC reports suggest that tipping points could be exceeded between 1 o and 2 o degrees celsius of warming.4
The medical profession has a moral obligation to speak out when there are substantial issues that impact public health, especially when there is significant harm through inaction.
We call on the Australian Government to:
- • Take immediate action according to the science (as per the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C) to address the climate emergency
- • Promote an active transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy
- • Develop a national strategy for health and climate change
- • Establish a National Sustainable Healthcare Unit to reduce carbon emissions in the healthcare sector
- • Allocate funding for a just transition including jobs for fossil fuels workers and their communities
We will seek to
- • Raise awareness of the climate and biodiversity emergencies and the very urgent need for action with other dermatologists, our patients, the community, and professional organisations
- • Raise awareness that the climate emergency is a health emergency
- • Act within our profession to reduce the carbon footprint of dermatological practice
- • Work with others to reduce the carbon footprint of the healthcare system
Individuals
We invite dermatologists and dermatology nurses and dermatology trainees in Australia and New Zealand to join in our declaration.
Organisations
We invite organisations with a close relationship with the field of dermatology and dermatologists in Australia and New Zealand to join us.
Other supporters
We invite other organisations or individuals who wish to join to make contact with us.
Information
- • To sign the declaration individuals must be recognised by AHPRA or equivalent as a dermatologist, or an accredited dermatology trainee.
- • Dermatologists declare is organised by Dr Rebecca Saunderson and Dr Fiona Bruce on a voluntary basis.
- • Contact us with any questions or feedback.
- • We understand that the Indigenous people of Australia have long espoused the cultural, economic, social and environmental benefits embedded in the holistic relationship of Caring for Country.
- • Photograph of Diamond Beach NSW courtesy of “Martin Von Stoll”
Individuals
Australian Dermatologists
- • Dr Rebecca Saunderson, BMedSci(hon1) MBBS(hon) MPhil (cantab) FACD
- • Dr Fiona Bruce, MBBS(hons) FACD
- • Professor Gayle Fischer MBBS MD FACD OAM
- • Associate Professor Rosemary Nixon B.Sc (Hons) MBBS MPH FACD FAFOEM OAM
- • Dr Mei Tam, MBBS, FACD
- • Dr Adrian Lim MBBS, FACP, FACD
- • Dr Pam Brown, MBBS, FACD
- • Dr Julia Rhodes, MBBS, FACD
- • Dr Elizabeth Ellis, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Dana Slape, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Deshan Sebaratnam FACD
- • Dr Catherine Mckay MBBS, BSc(Nutrition) Hons, FACD
- • Dr Frances Tefany, MBBS MMed FACD
- • Dr Parisa Arianejad MD FACD
- • Dr Shreya Andric, BMedSci, MBBS(Hons) FACD
- • Dr Austen Anderson MBBS (Hons) FACD
- • Dr Georgia Frost FACD
- • Dr Andrea Tomizawa, FACD
- • Associate Professor Stephen Shumack, OAM MBBS FACD FAICD
- • Dr Nina Wines BSc MBBS FACD
- • Dr Diana Rubel MBBS MMed Dip Paeds FACD
- • Dr Leona Yip MBChB PhD FACD
- • Associate Professor Johannes S. Kern MD, PhD, ICDP-UEMS (Dermpath), FEBDV, FACD
- • Dr Karen Stapleton, FACD
- • Dr John Frew, MBBS(Hons) MMed (Clin Epi) MSc FACD
- • Dr Li-Chuen Wong, MBBS(Hons) MM DCH FACD
- • Dr Aaron Robinson BBiotech (Hons) MBBS PhD FACD
- • Associate Professor Anne Howard, MBBS, FACD, FRACP
- • Dr Dallas Gramp, BHSc, MBBS, FACD
- • Dr Eric Poon, MBBS, FACD
- • Dr Anita Lasocki, MBBS(Hons) BMedSci FACD
- • Dr Belinda Welsh, MBBS MMed FACD
- • Dr Genevieve Sadler, MBBS FACD MPH
- • Dr Aaron Boyce, FACD MBBS(Hons) MBA BBiotech DCH
- • Dr Emma Veysey, MBChB MRCP MPH FACD
- • Dr Friyana Bhabha, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Helen Saunders MBBS B Med Sci FACD
- • Dr Andrew Satchell MBBS, B.Med.Sci (Hons), MM, FACD
- • Dr Katherine Armour, MBChB, FACD
- • Associate Professor Patricia Lowe, MBBS (Hons) MMed FACD
- • Associate Professor David Orchard MBBS FACD
- • Associate Professor Laura Scardamaglia MBBS FACD
- • Dr Ian Hamann, FACD
- • Dr Michelle Goh MBBS, BMedSci, FACD
- • Dr Anne Lewis MBBS FACD
- • Dr Jeremy J Horton Bsc(Hons) FRCP FACD
- • Associate Professor Stephen Gilmore MBBS MD FACD
- • Dr David Wong MBBS(Hons) FACD
- • Dr Niyati Sharma, MBBS MPH FACD
- • Dr Catherine Reid, MBBS FRACP FACD GAICD
- • Dr Alice Rudd, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Shally Gupta, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Tony Caccetta, MBBS (Hons) FACD
- • Dr Margit Polcz, BSc MBBS MMed FRACGP FACD
- • Dr Catherine Scarff MBBS MMed MHPE FACD
- • Associate Professor Adrian Mar, MBBS FACD
- • Associate Professor Geoffrey Cains, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Gilberto Moreno, FACD
- • Professor Peter Soyer, MD FACD FAHMS
- • Dr Ellen Ma, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Pooja Sharma, MBBS MD FACD
- • Dr Sarah Brennand B.Sc MBBS FACD
- • Dr Jane Woods, MBBS(Hons) FACD
- • Dr Burcu Kim MBBS MPH FACD
- • Dr Tim Rutherford MBBS (Hons) FACD FACMS
- • Dr Catherine Drummond MBBS (Hons) FRACP FACD
- • Dr Celestine Wong, MBBS BMedSci FACD
- • Dr Boon Tan, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Ryan De Cruz, MBBS(Hons) BMedSci FACD
- • Dr Emma Mooney, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Matheen Mohamed, MBBS MPH FACD
- • Dr Shobhan Manoharan, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Bruno Blaya Alvarez, MD PhD FACD
- • Dr Michael Rich, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Robert Kelly, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Bishakha Rajagopalan, MBBS DD MD FACD
- • Dr Lauren Young, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Michelle Rodrigues, MBBS (Hons) FACD
- •Associate Professor Pascale Guitera, FACD
- • Dr Gordon Rennick MBBS FRACP FACD
- • Dr Cara McDonald, MBBS BMedSci MPH FACD
- • Associate Professor Douglas Gin, MBBS FACD
- • Professor Dedee Murrell, MA BMBCh FAAD (USA)
- • Dr Lloyd Hale, MBBS (Hons) FRACGP FACD
- • Dr Ryan Toholka, MBBS(hons) BMedSci FACD
- • Dr Eugene Tan, FACD
- • Dr Alfonso Perez de Velasco, MRCP FACD
- • Dr Andrew Chen, BSc (Meds) MBBS FRACGP FACD PhD
- • Dr Barbara Breadon, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Jeremy Banky, MBBS (Hons) FACD
- • Dr David Gill, MBBS FACD
- • Associate Professor Christopher McCormack, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Samantha Eisman, MBChB MRCP (UK) FCDerm(SA) FACD
- • Dr Hsien Herbert Chan, MBBS FACD
- • Associate Professor Duncan Standford, MBBS MSc(Med) FACD FACMS
- • Dr Tasos Stavrakoglou, FACD
- • Dr Esther Hong, FACD
- • Dr Kerry Crotty, BSc(Med) MBBS FRCPA FACD
- • Professor Steven Kossard, MBBS PhD FACD
- • Dr Kyoko Shirato, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Karen Koh, MBBS FACD
- • Dr John Relic, FACD
- • Dr John Kelly, AM MBBS MD FACD
- • Dr Ian Younger, MBBS (Hons) FACD
- • Dr Roland Nguyen, MBBS MMedSc FACD
- • Dr Penny Lim, MBBS(Hons), MRCP FRCP FACD UEMS-ICDP Dermpath
- • Dr Ashling McNally, MBBS B. Physio (Hons) FACD
- • Dr Jane Li, MBBS (Hons) BMedSci PhD FACD
- • Associate Professor Werner Sinclair, MBChB MMed FACD
- • Dr Adam Harris, MBChB MMed FACD
- • Dr Geetha Sivapirabu, MBBS MPhil (Med) FACD
- • Dr Michelle Hunt, MBBS MMed FACD FACMS
- • Clinical Associate Professor Samuel Zagarella, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Niamh O’Sullivan, MBBCh PhD MRCS (Edin) FACD
- • Dr Catherine Black, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Simon Tucker, MB CHB FRCP (UK) FACD
- • Dr Portia Millar, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Gavin Gottschalk, MBChB HDipIntMed(SA) FCDerm(SA) FACD
- • Dr Catherine Faulkner, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Emma Ryan, MBBS FRACGP FACD
- • Dr Matthew Cho, MBBS (Hons) FACD
- • Dr Saleem Loghdey, MBCHB FC DERM (SA) CCST FACD
- • Dr Nira Chinniah, FACD
- • Dr Sarvjit Sohal, MBBS MD FACD
- • Dr Lizbeth Wheeler, BSc (hons) MD FACD
- • Dr David Cook, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Jo-Ann See, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Stephen Donoghue, BSc(Med) MBBS FACD
- • Dr Michelle McRae, BEng(Hons1) MBBS(hons) FACD
- • Dr Ritu Gupta, MBBS(Hons) PhD FACD
- • Dr Paul Chee, MBBS(Hons) MMed FACD
- • Dr Jillian Wells, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Richard Wittal, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Desmond Gan, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Leith Banney, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Vivian Tng, BScMed MBBS FRACGP FACD
- • Dr Rashi Malesu, MBBS MPhil, MMed FACD
- • Dr Carolina Cordoba Rincon, MD FACD
- • Dr Shelley Hwang, MBBS, MMed FACD
- • Dr Phillip Swarbrick, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Maria Jones Caballero, MD PhD FACD
- • Dr Lachlan Warren BM BS Dip(Obs)RACOG FRACGP FACD
- • Dr Kaate Newland MBBS FACD
- • Dr Dorata Long MBBS FACD
- • Dr Chloe Lim MBBS FRACGP FACD
- • Dr Emma Ryan MBBS FACD
- • Dr Crystal Williams, MBBS, FACD
Retired Australian Dermatologists
- • Associate Professor Christopher Commens, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Carol Burford, MBBS FACD
- • Dr Nicholas Downes MBBS FACD
- • Dr Peter Berger MBBS FRCP FACD
Netherlands
- • Dr Marlous Grijsen, Dermatologist MD PhD
- • Dr Ing Han Go, Dermatologist
New Zealand Dermatologists
- • Dr Darion Rowan, MB,ChB. FACD
- • Dr Karen Koch, MBChB MMed FCDerm
- • Dr Paul Salmon, FNZDSI FACMS Hon FACD
- • Dr Amanda Oakley, CNZM, MB ChB, PGDipHealInf, FRACP, FNZDSI
- • Dr Mairi Ferguson, MBChB MRCPDerm
- • Dr Mathew Ludgate, MBChB (distn) FRACP FACMS
- • Dr Susan Simpkin, MBChB FRACP
United Kingdom Dermatologists
- • Dr Stephanie Arnold, BSc (Hons) MBBS (Hons) FACD
United States Dermatologists
- • Assistant Professor Markus Boos, MD PhD
- • Professor Ilona Frieden, MD FAAD
- • Dr Josephine McAllister, MD FAAD
- • Professor Paul Nghiem, MD PhD
- • Dr Sarah Coates, MD FAAD
- • Professor Mary Williams, MD FAAD
- • Dr Lisa Maier, MD FAAD
- • Dr Mika Tabata, MD
- • Dr Kathleen Carney-Godley, MD FAAD
- • Dr Misha Rosenbach, MD FAAD
Dermatology Trainees
- • Dr Emily Forward MBBS
- • Dr Samra Saikal B Med MD MIPH
- • Dr Rudy Yeh MBBS MS
- • Dr Artiene Tatian, BSc (Adv), MIndigHlth, MBBS
- • Dr Nikki Adler BSc, MBBS, PhD
- • Dr Anthea Mulcahy, MBBS
- • Dr Edmund Wee, MBBS(hons) Mphil
- • Dr Zahra Assarian, MD
- • Dr Zhi Low, MBBS(hons)
- • Dr Pooja Kadam, MBBS, MSc
- • Dr Thomas Stewart BBioMedSc, MBBS, MMed, MS, FRACGP
- • Dr Kirsty Wark, BMedSci BMed MMed (ClinEpi)
- • Dr Cathy Zhao, MBBS MMed MSc
- • Dr Linda Chan, MBBS, MMed
- • Dr Yvonne Nguyen, MBBS BPharm (Hons) MPhil
- • Dr Charlotte Thomas, MBChB
- • Dr Mi Vu, MBBD B.Pharm
- • Dr Sara de Menezes, MBBS(Hons) MPhil
- • Dr Andrew Swarbrick, MBBS
- • Dr Karolina Kerkemeyer, MBBS
- • Dr Nicholas De Rosa B.Pharm (Hons), BMBS, DCH, MSci (Med), FRACGP
- • Dr Kathleen Wang MD
- • Dr Joyce Ma MBBS
- • Dr Kendall Sharpe BSc (Hons I), MBBS
Dermatology Nurses/Allied health
- • Andry Tan, RN
- • Aimee Corcoran, RN
- • Maryanne Dwyer, RN
- • Adrienne Francis, RN
- • Cathy Ashley, RN
- • Gemma Kesby, RN
- • Kate Purches, RN
- • Suzanne Hinton, RN
- • Jayne Pirola, RN/RM
ORGANISATIONS
- • Consentic®
- • Goulburn Health Hub
- • Doctors for the Environment Australia
- • Drummoyne Dermatology
- • Sydney Skin
- • Bespoke Skin Technology
- • Eastern Suburbs Dermatology
- • Brisbane Skin
- • Lotus Dermatology
- • Caulfield Dermatology
- • South Coast Dermatology
- • Pymble Dermatology
- • Mohs and Skin Cancer Specialist
- • GSI Clinical Research
References:
- • Sellers, S., Ebi, K.L, Hess, J. 2019 Climate change, human health, and social stability: addressing interlinkages. Environmental Health Perspectives; 127(4): 045002-1-10.
- • Spratt, D., Dunlop, I. 2019 Existential climate-related security risk: A scenario approach. Breakthrough – National Centre for Climate Restoration. Accessed 4th January, 2020 breakthroughonline.org.au
- • Lenton, T.M., Rockstrom, J., Gaffney, O., Rahmstorf, S., Richardson, K., Stffen, W., Schellnhuber, J.J. Climate tipping points – too risky to bet against. Nature 575: 592-595.
- • Special Report; Global Warming of 1.5 C o. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ Accessed 15th January 2020.