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Page | 1 The Hon Melissa Price MP Minister for the Environment Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 10th October 2018 Dear Hon Melissa Price MP, I am a research associate at the Royal Brisbane Hospital who has been engaging in research on the effects of environmental pollution and the correlative results to the health of the Australian people. Through my research, I have discovered that there is a cause-effect relationship between type 2 diabetes and air pollution. I am writing this letter to inform you as our Minister for the Environment that the pollutant car and industry emissions are a contributing factor towards the high prevalence of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes. I wish to express the concern for the health of the Australian people and propose the need for a legislative bill which will see an appropriate implementation of pollution control measures (Herndon, 2017). Planetary health is meant to protect the population of the world and its surroundings by making sure that an advanced level of health is kept. However with the deteriorating environment due to rising environmental pollution, maintaining planetary health has been challenging. This has led to rising health problems as we can now see young children suffering from major health diseases like asthma. This pollution threat has especially grasped third world countries who have become victims to a significant amount of environmentally polluted affected diseases. The increase in air pollution is a major concern which needs immediate addressing and the intervention and implementation of pollution control measures. Statistical data from the World Health Organization reveals that there is a rise in environmental pollution due to the emission of pollutant gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen and hydrocarbons. These pollutants are contributing to the risk of individuals with type 2 diabetes. According to the World Health Organization, acidic gases correlate with the type 2 diabetes as they cause respiratory inflation or stroke and as such increase the risk of death to patients with diabetes (World Health Organization, 2015). These pollutant emissions from vehicles affect the respiratory system and the endothelium membrane of the lungs of human beings. It is observed from hospital post-mortem results that patients with type 2 diabetes who die are also affected by these pollutant gases. As a research associate, I am an observer to these critical effects of pollutant gases and there are a high number of cases of respiratory infections due to air pollution. The primary concern is the complication and consequences that pollutant emissions have on diabetic patients and in turn, they have a high risk of death when they have both diabetes and inflammatory diseases. In Australia alone, the number of diabetes patients is approximately 1.2 million and there is a forecast for rising if there is a slow implementation of pollution control policies (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018). So it is now time that we seek your intervention in this matter to ensure the health of the nation. The Ottawa Charter for health promotion is seen as an incredible action plan adopted by countries all over the world to improve the overall health of people. This is a great initiative for the prevention of diabetes which is one of the key issues for the Australian government. As we find from the various data, there is a huge link between diabetes and air pollution, an emerging environmental hazard to our health. Apart from following the Ottawa Charter for health promotion, government needs to implement certain strategies to tackle this environmental threat. They need to adopt cleaner energy sources, reducing EPAs pollution limits should implemented simultaneously along with following strategic policies. The use of running electric cars is another solid health strategy that should be encouraged as electric cars have no harmful emissions. Therefore, to reduce the toxins in the air, the use of electric cars should be made mandatory. As the Honorable Minister of the Environment, I wish to propose that you push for a pollution control rule which restricts the use of pollutant fuels. The policy should ensure there is a minimal emission of pollutant gases and substances. I recommend that you collaborate with the researchers in green energy to ensure appropriate decisions are reached. All Australians have a right to cleaner air. Thank you for considering my concerns and I hope you see the problems addressed for the sake of the people and our cherished country. If you require any further information please contact me. Yours sincerely, Research Associate Royal Brisbane Hospital References Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2018). Diabetes snapshot. Available online. Retrieved October 15, 2018 from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes-snapshot/contents/how-many-australians-have-diabetes Herndon, J. M. (2017). An open letter to members of AGU, EGU, and IPCC alleging promotion of fake science at the expense of human and environmental health and comments on AGU draft geoengineering position statement. New Concepts in Global Tectonics Journal, 5(3), 413-6. Hosseini, S. E., & Wahid, M. A. (2016). Hydrogen production from renewable and sustainable energy resources: promising green energy carrier for clean development. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 57, 850-866. Mazur, C., Offer, G. J., Contestabile, M., & Brandon, N. B. (2018). 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