24/04/2026
Happy 25th Birthday DEA 🎉
Today Doctors for the Environment Australia marks 25 years of advocacy for human and planetary health.
From our humble beginnings at the Mornington Meeting to the present day, DEA has been at the vanguard of shaping the response to climate and environmental health in Australia.
DEA's advocacy has enabled:
- The formation of a National Health and Climate Strategy and an accompany unit within the Federal Department of Health.
- Multiple medical colleges declaring a climate emergency and committing to emissions reductions.
- Climate and health being included in medical curricula.
We've led major campaigns including our "Coal is a health hazard" campaign back in 2010, our "Fossil Fuels are a Health Hazard" campaign in 2023 and our election campaigning in 2022 and 2025. We have our "Quit Gas for our Health" campaign coming out later this year.
We’ve advocated for the protection of nature, challenged logging and advocated for the High Seas Treaty, recognising the importance of biodiversity for health.
We've stood up in court. In 2012, our legal challenge helped stop a coal-fired power station in Victoria. Last year, we held the government regulator and Woodside to account over the Scarborough gas project.
We are incredibly proud of our achievements. A huge thank you to all of our members, staff, friends and supporters- we couldn't do any of this without you 💚