Heat and Worry in Oceania

The health and climate report looked at what happened in Oceania. The work began in 2017. The first regional check came in 2018. Then yearly updates followed. The updates lasted from 2019 to 2025. This was the eighth check. It used many signs. The signs covered five areas. Those areas were hazards, adaptation, action, money, and public voice. The team shared new data. It also kept learning and refining its work.

Heat was a main topic. Climate change led to more heatwaves. Australia and New Zealand saw more exposure. Infants and older adults were at risk. The past ten years brought a big rise. Young people aged 14 to 19 were in the study. The survey had 16,230 teens. Half of them felt worried or sad. The worry was about climate change. It included danger to people. About one in seven teens said it hurt daily life.

Heat deaths put a heavy cost on Australia. The economic burden was large. Costs from 2021 to 2025 were over double the early 2000s total. The inflation-adjusted cost was about US$1.49 billion yearly. That was the national average. The rise came from heat-related deaths.

Some progress was seen. New Zealand released its health adaptation plan in 2024. It came out in October 2024. The plan aimed to build resilience. It also noted environmental and social factors.