Sustaining Health Through Climate Change: Policy, Research, Action

Session outline

PART 1: Climate Change, Health, and the state of PM&R  (70 minutes)

The first part of the workshop will serve as an introduction to climate change, health and disability, and provide research updates on the state of PM&R and climate change. This session will also highlight the climate work that is being done in Australia.

1. Welcome + Speakers Introductions (5 minutes) – Niña Carmela Tamayo  DO, MS, MPH
   1. Icebreaker – Interactive questions using Mentimeter platform to explore participants demographics and attitudes about climate change (5 minutes)
2. Climate change, health and disability in Australia (20 minutes) – Kimberley Humphrey, MD.
   1. Discuss the intersection of climate change, health with a special focus on Australia 
   1. Examine research, policy, advocacy, public health and disaster mitigation and adaptation initiatives in Australia
3. Scoping Literature Review of the state of PM&R and climate change (20  minutes) –  Maya Newman, MD. and Kelli Kakome Med Student.
   1. Review preliminary data on qualitative research pilot study on caregiver and patient perceptions/fears of climate change in a cerebral palsy clinic (20 minutes) 

BREAK: (5 minutes)

PART 2: Sustainability in Healthcare Practices (60 minutes)

The objective is to raise awareness about the environmental impact of healthcare practices, educate healthcare professionals on carbon footprint reduction and waste management and equip participants with practical strategies to implement sustainability in healthcare settings.

1. Green is the New Accessible: Healthcare Solutions –  Maya Newman, MD, MS.
   1. Carbon footprint of healthcare / Strategies Waste Audit (30 minutes)
2. Workshop: Small group discussion (30 minutes) – Niña Carmela Tamayo, DO, MS, MPH.
   1. Reflect on individual practices/hospital/community and discuss how to implement initiatives to reduce carbon footprint and reduce waste. (10 minutes) 
   1. Set achievable sustainability goals for individual practices/ hospital/ community and identify key stakeholders and responsible parties. (10 minutes)
   1. Create group action plans and recap key takeaways. (10 minutes) 

BREAK: (5 minutes)

PART 3: Politics, Policies, and Disaster Preparedness in Climate Change (90 min)

1. Workshop: (30 minutes) – Niña Carmela Tamayo, DO, MS, MPH.
   1. Small Group Work – Disaster Preparedness Emergency Plan
      1. Break everyone into 5 small groups and present them with a disability-specific climate change scenario. The objective is to create an emergency preparedness plan. (15 minutes)
      1. Discuss the emergency plan with the group. (15 minutes)
   1. Disaster Preparedness, Australian Initiatives, & P-CEP Workbook (20 minutes) – Liala Cadelli, DPT
2. Politics and Policies in Response to Climate Change:
   1. Policies, politics and people – understanding worldwide politics in climate change (20 minutes)-  Ying Zhang, MBBS, MMedSci, MSust, MEdu, PhD, ISEE Fellow
   1. AAP, ISPRM and CCLEAR Statements/ Guidelines (20 minutes) – Dr. Niña Carmela Tamayo
3. Conclusion / Closing Interactive Session via Mentimeter platform: (10 minutes) – Dr. Maya Newman

Learning outcomes

1. Understand the intersection between climate change, health, and disability in Australia
2. Increase awareness, knowledge, and engagement in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change on health, disability, and rehabilitation practices through informative presentations and research insights.
3. Discuss how healthcare providers can be part of the solution to help with climate change mitigation. 
4. Identify common obstacles and potential solutions encountered in the implementation of effective disaster preparedness strategies.

Target audience

• Allied health
• Medical practitioners
• Students
• Trainees
• Nursing staff
• General public