Equity as a means and goal of climate adaptation: A case study in Indigenous health Devin Bowles 16 March 2012 ANU Climate Change Institute PhD Expo

What do Australians care about? What is at risk? –Physical environment –Values – equity (a ‘fair go’) Goals of adaptation 2

Closing the Gap Indigenous people have a life expectancy at birth more than ten years shorter than other citizens COAG committed $1.58 billion over 4 years for health targets –Separate budgets for other targets, recognising that the targets are interlinked 3

Climate change and health Climate change will harm health in myriad ways Indigenous health disproportionately impacted –Diminished baseline health status –Constrained individual adaptation options What systemic adaptations can stop this? 4

Adaptation and equity Equity is a goal and a means of adaptation Suggests adaptation to preserve other values may be required Points to the difficulty of adaptation, and bolsters the case for mitigation 5