Vets urge government to act on climate
The chair of Veterinarians for Climate Action (VfCA), Dr Jeannet Kessels, has congratulated the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) for its new policy on climate change and animal health, including welfare, production and biosecurity.
‘VfCA comprises more than 1500 members, mainly vets and vet nurses, from across Australia’, she said. ‘We work to communicate the urgency of climate change and its effects on pets, livestock and wildlife. We act as a voice for the animals we all love and need, who cannot speak for themselves. We welcome the new AVA policy on climate change.
The new AVA policy promotes sustainable practices to mitigate the emission of human-generated atmospheric greenhouse gasses. These include changes across many sectors, including veterinarians developing and promoting environmentally smart practices to reduce the effects of climate change and climate extremes on animals — including pets, livestock and wildlife.
A sound new science-based policy on climate change
Dr Ron Glanville, convenor of the Former Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) Group, also congratulated the AVA, saying that ‘The AVA has developed a sound new science-based policy on climate change and is advocating that vets adopt and promote sustainable practices that will achieve carbon neutrality by 2030’.
The Former CVOs Group is a group of 33 former Chief Veterinary Officers and senior government veterinarians who have served the Commonwealth Government and every state and territory government in Australia. It supports sound climate policy and works closely with VfCA to provide science-based information on climate and climate action to veterinarians, the animal health sector, and the wider animal care community.
Vets have an important role to play in climate action
Nobel laureate, Professor Peter Doherty, said today that veterinarians have an important role to play in climate action to reduce the effects of climate change on animals, people and the environment. Professor Doherty said ‘Human activity is the primary cause for the acceleration of climate change and this constitutes a global emergency.’
The new AVA policy promotes sustainable practices to mitigate the emission of human-generated atmospheric greenhouse gasses. These include veterinarians developing and applying environmentally smart practices to mitigate the effects of climate change and climate extremes on animals — including pets, livestock and wildlife.
Professor Doherty, who is himself a veterinarian, was speaking as patron of Veterinarians for Climate Action (VfCA) in response to the new AVA policy on climate change and animal health, welfare and production.
‘I congratulate the AVA on its leadership in developing a sound new science-based policy on climate change and for advocating that vets adopt and promote workplace practices that minimise their carbon footprint by aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030’, he said. ‘The policy reflects the increasing concern of the veterinary profession worldwide about the negative effects of climate change on animal health — including welfare, production and biosecurity.’
ABOUT VETERINARIANS FOR CLIMATE ACTION
VfCA is a national, not-for-profit, registered charity with more than 1500 members, from the veterinary profession, the animal health care industry, and the broader animal care community.
We help tackle climate change by:
- reducing emissions within the veterinary profession and the animal care sector;
- encouraging members to advocate for strong climate policies; and
- inspiring the public to take and advocate for climate action.
Our Patron is Professor Peter Doherty, veterinary surgeon, Nobel Laureate and Australian of the Year in 1997. Thirty-three former Chief Veterinary Officers from all States and Territories work alongside us. We are evidence-based and informed by published scientific findings.
For further information on VfCA, or for interviews with Dr Kessels or Dr Glanville, please contact Alix Foster Vander Elst, Chief Executive Officer at VfCA: alix@vfca.org.au or on M: 0432 926 910
