Climate Activism

Climate Activist

Climate Change is widely recognised as the number one health emergency, and the Black Summer fires of 2019-2020 had a dramatic impact on the rural community of Albury/Wodonga. As a doctor for well over 3 decades, Dr McGowan has cared for thousands of patients, many over four generations. She has seen the impact of bushfires and smoke on her patients. She is also a farmer who has had her family farm destroyed by bushfires and a mother who has cared for her family through recurrent wildfires. Rebecca is proactive in working to help her community protect themselves against the impact of wildfire smoke and speaking out about the impact of climate change.

Rebecca has been active in Australia and internationally discussing the negative impact of bushfire smoke on the health of all her patients, but in particular on those who are pregnant. 

She is a well-regarded commentator on this topic and has been interviewed by the ABC (Radio and TV), 2GB, 3AW, CBC Canada, Newstalk Ireland, BBC Radio and BBC TV (over 100 million viewers), in print media The Sun and on Al Jazeera.

In 2021, Dr McGowan was invited to present to The Australian Senate on the inquiry into “Lessons to be learnt from the Black Summer Bushfires” regarding the urgent need for practical solutions to manage exposure to bushfire smoke.

She is regularly invited to speak and deliver presentations to her medical colleagues on this topic.