APS Response to the National Health and Climate Strategy

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is pleased to provide a response to the National Health and Climate Strategy consultation. The impacts of climate change are a particular interest of the APS, as detailed in our Position Statement: Psychology and Climate Change. Psychologists are experts in human behaviour and use evidence-based psychological interventions in many aspects relevant to the mitigation of and adaptation to the effects of climate change.

In addition to the overall recommendations below, we have provided targeted responses to some of the questions in the long response survey. 

Upon consideration of the National Health and Climate Strategy Consultation Paper (the Consultation Paper), the APS recommends:

• Strengthening the urgency and individual responsibility of the strategy
• Highlighting the strong, multi-faceted interactions between the effects of climate change and mental health and wellbeing
• Integrating the strategy with other sectors and initiatives
• Including psychological science to support initiatives to motivate and promote behaviour change
• Supporting the psychologists and mental health professionals affected by climate change
• Growing the psychological workforce to sufficient meet demand and prepare for the future
• Equipping Australians to be more resilient to the effects of climate change
• Ensuring psychological expertise is incorporated into the Strategy’s governance structures

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