Experts say Australia is missing out on billions in potential short-term health savings which could come with tougher greenhouse emission targets.
Professor of Planetary Health at the University of Sydney, Tony Capon suggests the energy and transport sectors alone cost Australia at least $6 billion a year in heath problems.
Environmental factors such as air pollutants can lead to premature deaths and problems such as heart attacks and asthma, but the economic cost of this is not being pitted against the apparent benefits to the economy of burning fossil fuels.
Professor Capon suggests that moving towards less-polluting forms of energy and transport would deliver much-needed savings to Australia’s budget.