Planetary health: what is it and what should doctors do?

However, these gains in human health have been unequally distributed. And, alongside them, despite overall development gains made in the same period, we have witnessed environmental degradation on a massive scale. Pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss and climate change are among the striking examples of the damage caused by collective human endeavour. Australia should aim to be the healthiest nation on the planet with the worlds’ best health system, and this is achievable, but our ambitious goals are at risk if we ignore planetary health.

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