Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) has developed a range of free interdisciplinary clinical education resources, available below and on the Promoting Sustainable Healthcare page. These materials are designed to meet new regulatory standards and help update health professional curricula with essential education on planetary health and environmentally sustainable practice.
We are actively integrating these resources into medical schools, teaching hospitals, and speciality colleges across Australia. Check out our pilot study successfully updating the intern curriculum at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
For more information or to get involved, please contact: [email protected]
DEA has successfully advocated for the inclusion of planetary health risks and environmental sustainability in medical education curricula and national healthcare standards. This includes integration into:
- The AMC National Framework for Prevocational PGY1 & PGY2 Medical Training (Outcome Statement 1.5, Domain 2, and EPA 2 (Prescribing))
- AMC Standards for Primary Medical Schools (Domain 1.15 and Domain 3.10)
- ACSQHS Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience Healthcare Module
- The Victorian Public Hospital Enterprise Agreement
Understanding and responding to the health impacts of climate change—declared the greatest health threat of the 21st century—is a critical responsibility of the medical workforce. Many Australian medical colleges now recognise their duty to contribute to climate solutions and prepare their members for these challenges.
Greening your health organisation
The carbon footprint of Australia’s healthcare sector is estimated at over 7% of Australia’s total emissions. While every sector needs to play its part to limit global warming and environmental degradation, the healthcare sector has an added responsibility (and opportunity) to lead mitigation of emissions and environmental impacts. Find out more about our systems for sustainable healthcare.
National and International Medical Education Partnerships
We are proud to be a signatory of the The Academic Health Institutions’ Declaration on Planetary Health declaring the health of the planet a Code Red emergency and call for immediate implementation of planetary health education and research, and the transition to climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems in order to build a healthy, sustainable, and just future for all.
We are a partner of the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education.
Please click here for links to educational content, resources, and information on a wide variety of climate and health topics for members and health professions schools/programs to enhance their development of locally tailored climate-health educational opportunities.
The International Planetary Health Report Card is a student-led publication compiled of gap analysis reports reflecting on the planetary health curriculum in medical schools and identifying opportunities for improvement. Dr Grant Silbert, an intern, and Emily Coady, a final year medical student, led Australia's first contribution to this international publication.
DEA’s advocacy role and resources are promoted by the PHRC team and links to other resources can be found here: https://phreportcard.org/
NSW Health is establishing a climate risk and net zero program, to coordinate and scale-up action across NSW Health. This website contains practical information and resources to support staff in the transition to a modern, low carbon health system. Find the NSW goverment net zero program here.
Articles, submissions and research
A planetary health–organ system map to integrate climate change and health content into medical curricula
Read the full article on Wiley (September 2022)
MJA: Planetary health: a new standard for medical education
Read the full article in the MJA (Dec 2023)
Insight+: How Australia’s medical colleges can lead our health care sector to net zero
Read the full article in InSight + (April 2024)
Submission: Review of the Standards for Specialist Medical Programs:Consultation on scope and direction for change
Read the submission (PDF June 2025)