According to the World Health Organization, 23 % of all global deaths are caused by environmental factors, with an additional 250,000 climate-related deaths expected each year by 2030. Doctors are on the brink of addressing the immediate and long-term effects of climate change, from heat stroke to persistent anxiety.

Despite these risks, few medical schools, either in Australia or internationally, incorporate climate education into their curricula.

In a 2019 survey, the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations found that only 16 % medical schools in 112 countries teach climate science.

While the climate is changing rapidly, medical schools around the world have been slow to recognize the training needs of the next generation of doctors regarding the health consequences of a warming planet.

We know that climate change is increasing the frequency, duration and severity of heat waves, floods, fires and droughts. (More on lens.monash.edu)