December 23, 2020 - Download the Food for Healthy People, Healthy Planet Fact Sheet
Diet & Agriculture
The food we choose to eat, how it is produced, and how much is wasted, will determine whether or not we meet the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Food systems generate at least 25% of human GHG emissions, including methane and nitrous oxides. We must now transition to net carbon sequestration, and away from unsustainable land clearing, water extraction, soil wastage, fish depletion and other impacts. This will involve changing our diets.
Strong evidence shows that diets rich in diverse plant-based foods and far less animal products, have both health and environmental benefits, particularly when combined with shifts to sustainable agriculture. However, current trends are the opposite. Worldwide increasing consumption of meat, dairy, sugar and processed foods will double emissions by 2050, contributing to irreversible climate tipping points and the decline and collapse of agriculture, and society, as we know it. In Australia, the average adult diet generates over 4 tonnes of GHG, eight times the sustainable limit. National Dietary Guidelines need to reflect these issues.
Doctors everywhere are in a strong position to bring about change, advocating diets that are healthier both for patients and for the planet.
Newcastle Herald: Michael Schien writes, the real threat to national security is the way our system makes rational planning virtually impossible
January 17, 2020 - The climate emergency has arrived, writes Dr Michael Schien. With the first degree of the predicted four degrees of warming by 2100, this 11,000 kilometre fire front is stretching our ...
Underground Water Impact Report for the Surat Cumulative Management Area (July 2019)
July 11, 2019 - Doctors for the Environment Australia believes that this report must be seen in the context of possible harm to the sustainability of Queensland and Australia, and in this regard we ...
Food Security in a Changing Climate
May 9, 2019 - Food Security in a Changing Climate: This video is a reminder of the threat posed to our climate, our water, our oceans and our agriculture by oil and gas exploration ...
Exploring ways to improve farmers’ interaction with the EPBC Act 1999
June 16, 2018 - DEA has made a submission to this review. The government notice says “Independent Reviewer, Dr Wendy Craik, is undertaking a short-term targeted review to reduce red-tape and find practical ways to ...
Health, sustainable diet and agriculture – DEA Position Statement
April 13, 2018 - Unhealthy environments, climate change, and poor diet are major contributors to both chronic and acute illnesses. Changes to the way we produce our food, and the type of food we ...
Future under threat: climate change and children’s health
October 9, 2012 - The following article appeared originally at the Conversation and appears here under a Creative Commons licence. By Brad Farrant, University of Western Australia Climate change has been widely recognised by ...
WHO – Children’s Environmental Health Training Modules
January 8, 2011 - A collection of over 30 modules with internationally harmonised information and peer-reviewed materials to enable health care workers to be trained, and also to become trainers of their peers and ...
DEA Report; Children’s Environmental Health
December 30, 2010 - Most Australian children today benefit from better food, cleaner water, more preventive health measures (such as vaccination) and a higher standard of living than ever before. Childhood mortality is very low and ...
Argentina’s Roundup Human Tragedy
November 17, 2010 - Argentina’s Roundup Human Tragedy We thank the Institute of Science in Society Sustainability http://www.i-sis.org.uk for permission to publish Ten years of GM soy and glyphosate poisoning have escalated the rates of cancer ...
Western Australia to Grow GM Crops
January 30, 2010 - In November 2009 we published a letter from a UK scientific organisation to Mr Colin Barnett. The letter expressed concern for academic freedom over GM foods in WA The letter ...
Scientists Concerned For Academic Freedom over GM foods
November 25, 2009 - Open Letter to Premier of Western Australia This invitation to sign a letter to Colin Barnett, Premier of WA, appeared in an Institute of Science in Society letter on 20.11.09. ...
US Opposition to GMOs Gathers Momentu
June 25, 2009 - Scientists and physicians in the heartland of genetic modification are alerting policy-makers and the public to the dangers of GM crops. Prof Peter Saunders We thank the Institute of Science ...
Europe’s Uprising Against GMOs and Patents on Life
May 27, 2009 - Europe’s Uprising Against GMOs and Patents on Life The unstoppable groundswell of opposition to GMOs in Europe by Dr. Mae-Wan Ho http://www.i-sis.org.uk/EuropesUprisingAgainstGMOs.php We thank the Institute of Science in Society ...
Symposium on Genetically-Modified Crops and Foods. Facts, Fallacies and Policies.
May 20, 2008 - This symposium was held at the Staff Club, University of Western Australia, Thursday 15 May 2008. The WA State Committee of DEA organized this Symposium in the expectations that many ...
Ban the use of artificial food additives in children’s food and drinks?
April 30, 2008 - Media Release; Ban the use of artificial food additives in children’s food and drinks? A PRESS RELEASE in April by our parent organisation ISDE called for a total ban on the ...
Claim and Counter-claim on GM foods
February 16, 2008 - In recent days the Premier of SA has announced that the moratorium on genetically modified crops will continue. Moratoriums have been lifted in other states and in Victoria Sir Gustav ...
UN Convention Recognises GM Tree Threat
June 1, 2006 - This article can be found on the I-SIS website at http://www.i- sis.org.uk/UNCRGETT.php UN Convention Recognises GM Tree Threat Why there should be a moratorium on GM trees. Sam Burcher ISIS ...
Transgenic Pea that Made Mice ill
December 16, 2005 - ISIS Press Release 28/11/05 Immune Reactions to Transgenic Protein Serious. Independent Scientists Demand A Ban on GM Food & Feed while All GM Crops Are Tested. The following memo and ...