Climate change and Australian rural health: Five key lessons from Africa

In 2020, we wrote an editorial outlining that to mitigate climate change, rural Australia will require a policy framework which focuses on the whole population, new ways of working, embracing technology, prevention and rural autonomy.1 We read with interest the recent editorial asking wealthy nations to step up support for Africa to manage climate change.2 The editorial offers a compelling argument as to how Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change, in particular the health and well-being of people living on the continent due to the limited availability of resources to prevent and recover from the effects of a changing climate. We are supportive of the editorial tone and message. Asking wealthy nations to step up support for Africa recognises the reality that Africa alone cannot deal with the consequences of the climate crisis. Supporting Africa to deal with climate change makes moral justification considering the continent contributes just 3% of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Yet, the continent has taken steps to mitigate the climate crisis including a focus on the whole population, new ways of working, embracing technology, prevention and rural autonomy. Rural Australia could learn from these examples, in addition to the genuine commitment of the richest countries on the planet, to support global policy-makers to derive meaning from the practical solutions presented.