CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 50Climate Change and Health ImpactsIndigenous Health, Education, and RightsIndigenous Studies and Ecology

Aboriginal Population and Climate Change in Australia: Implications for Health and Adaptation Planning

Open access
Standen, Jeffrey, Spencer, Jessica, Lee, Grace, Van Buskirk, Joe, Matthews, Veronica, Hanigan, Ivan, Boylan, Sinead, Jegasothy, Edward +2 more·2022·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
DOI 10.3390/ijerph19127502PMC PMC9223431
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

The health impacts of climate are widely recognised, and extensive modelling is available on predicted changes to climate globally. The impact of these changes may affect populations differently depending on a range of factors, including geography, socioeconomics and culture. This study reviewed current evidence on the health risks of climate change for Australian Aboriginal populations and linked Aboriginal demographic data to historical and projected climate data to describe the distribution of climate-related exposures in Aboriginal compared to non-Aboriginal populations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The study showed Aboriginal populations were disproportionately exposed to a range of climate extremes in heat, rainfall and drought, and this disproportionate exposure was predicted to increase with climate change over the coming decades. Aboriginal people currently experience higher rates of climate-sensitive health conditions and socioeconomic disadvantages, which will impact their capacity to adapt to climate change. Climate change may also adversely affect cultural practices. These factors will likely impact the health and well-being of Aboriginal people in NSW and inhibit measures to close the gap in health between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations. Climate change, health and equity need to be key considerations in all policies at all levels of government. Effective Aboriginal community engagement is urgently needed to develop and implement climate adaptation responses to improve health and social service preparedness and secure environmental health infrastructure such as drinking water supplies and suitably managed social housing. Further Aboriginal-led research is required to identify the cultural impacts of climate change on health, including adaptive responses based on Aboriginal knowledges.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/ijerph19127502

Cites

35 of 36 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Australia's Indigenous population are disproportionately exposed to climate change-triggered extreme heat, rainfall and drought.

    “A perspective article by Comtesse et al. [31] recounts a survey in which 56% of rural Australians worry about climate change, which is unsurprising considering Australia's Indigenous population are disproportionately exposed to climate change-triggered extreme heat, rainfall and drought [9].”

    From Climate Distress: A Review of Current Psychological Research and Practice (2023) · cites this paper as [9]

    The Results (§3.1; page not provided) find disproportionate exposure to heat, rainfall variability and drought among Aboriginal populations in New South Wales. The claim extends that finding to Australia's Indigenous population as a whole; the paper's exposure comparison is limited to NSW. It also describes historical drought exposure rather than establishing that those droughts were triggered by climate change. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Indigenous and rural populations are particularly vulnerable to the devastating experiences of the destruction of the natural environment.

    “Indigenous and rural populations are particularly vulnerable to the devastating experiences of the destruction of the natural environment [7][8][9].”

    From Climate Distress: A Review of Current Psychological Research and Practice (2023) · cites this paper as [9]

    The Introduction says Aboriginal communities will be disproportionately affected as climate change impacts the natural environment, and the Discussion reports greater exposure to climate hazards among Aboriginal populations in NSW. The paper also discusses risks to regional and remote communities, but it does not establish that rural populations generally are particularly vulnerable to environmental destruction. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • In Australia, First Nations groups' already poor health outcomes and socioeconomic disadvantages will be exacerbated by climate change effects on ecosystems, generating greater risks of poverty, increased mortality, and loss of cultural practice.

    “In Australia, the country where all authors are based and on which we will focus, already disproportionately poor health outcomes and socioeconomic disadvantages for First Nations groups will be exacerbated due to the effects of climate change on ecosystems, generating in turn even greater risks of poverty, increased mortality, and loss of cultural practice [9].”

    From Climate Distress: A Review of Current Psychological Research and Practice (2023) · cites this paper as [9]

    The Introduction describes poorer health and socioeconomic conditions among Aboriginal people and says climate-driven changes to the natural environment will disproportionately affect their communities. Discussion §§4.2 and 4.5 describe threats to cultural practices and likely widening inequities. The paper does not specifically predict increased poverty or mortality for First Nations groups from ecosystem changes; its population analysis focuses on New South Wales, rather than all of Australia. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Studies of Indigenous psychology show the effect of trauma from ecosystem disturbance and exploitation on cultural practice and identity.

    “In particular, studies of Indigenous psychology show the effect of these forms of trauma on cultural practice and identity [9], which is one way of framing the shifts beginning to take place in Western psychology.”

    From Climate Distress: A Review of Current Psychological Research and Practice (2023) · cites this paper as [9]

    The Introduction links climate change and colonisation to land dispossession and cultural suppression. The Discussion (§4.3–4.5; page numbers unavailable) describes bushfire-related trauma and loss of cultural sites, and identifies connection to Country as central to Aboriginal identity. The paper does not present these findings as studies of Indigenous psychology or establish a specific effect of exploitation-related trauma on cultural practice and identity. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. [27]Nakicenovic N. Alcamo J. Davis G. De Vries B. Fenhann J. Gaffin S. Gregory K. Grubler A. Jung T.Y. Kram T. Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES), A Special Report of Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK 2000
  2. [36]Clifford H.D. Pearson G. Franklin P. Walker R. Zosky G.R. Environmental Health Challenges in Remote Aboriginal Australian Communities: Clean Air, Clean Water and Safe Housing Australian Indigenous HealthBulletin Mount Lawley, Australia 2015 Available online: https://healthbulletin.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/bulletin_review_Clifford.pdf (accessed on 20 July 2021)
  3. [65]Noble I.R. Huq S. Anokhin Y.A. Carmin J. Goudou J. Lansigan F.P. Osman-Elasha B. Villamizar A. Adaptation needs and options Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 1st ed. Field C.B. Barros V.R. Dokken D.J. Mach K.J. Mastrandrea M.D. Bilir T.E. Chatterjee M. Ebi K.L. Estrada Y.O. Genova R.C. Cambridge University Press Cambridge, UK 2014 833 868
  4. [74]Salmon M. Doery K. Dance P. Chapman J. Gilbert R. Williams R. Lovett R. Defining the Indefinable: Descriptors of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Cultures and Their Links to Health and Wellbeing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health: A Literature Review The Australian National University Canberra, Australia 2019 Available online: https://www.lowitja.org.au/content/Image/Defining_Indefinable_report_FINAL_WEB.pdf (accessed on 22 December 2021)
  5. [79]Health, Equity and Climate in All Policies: Public Health Institute Statement on Federal Climate Change Executive Actions Available online: https://www.phi.org/press/health-equity-and-climate-in-all-policies-phi-statement-of-federal-climate-change-executive-actions/ (accessed on 1 April 2022)

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Standen, J., Spencer, J., Lee, G., Van Buskirk, J., Matthews, V., Hanigan, I., Boylan, S., Jegasothy, E., Breth-Petersen, M., & Morgan, G.
Affiliations
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
  • Health Protection NSW, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
  • School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
Corresponding author
Standen, Jeffrey
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2022-06-19
Volume
19
Issue
12
Pages
7502
ISSN
1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ijerph19127502
PMC
PMC9223431
OpenAlex
W4283121123
Cited by
50
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 3
FWCI
3.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
correction (2022-06-19)
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Online (University of Wollongong) (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
Funders
Human Health and Social Impacts Research Node
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Climate Change and Health Impacts
  • Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Indigenous Studies and Ecology
Keywords
Aboriginal Australians, health impacts of climate change, climate extremes, heat exposure, drought, rainfall variability, health equity, climate adaptation planning, Aboriginal knowledge, socioeconomic deprivation, New South Wales
MeSH terms
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Australia, Health Planning, Humans, New South Wales, Climate Change

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review