Proposed laws by independent senator David Pocock would require decision-makers not to make significant decisions on the exploration or mining of coal, oil and gas if it poses a material risk to the health and wellbeing of children.

Being ignored by Australia’s highest institutions and politicians when calling for greater action on climate change meant young people gained a sense of cynicism and burnout, Anjali Sharma said.

“They felt like they have just thrown themselves against this brick wall continuously and not been heard … which means they just don’t ever return to the youth climate movement,” she said.

“That is a great failure.”

Ms Sharma gained prominence after she took the federal government to court and argued it had a duty of care concerning climate change but she was ultimately unsuccessful.

Liberal senator Hollie Hughes questioned whether the term wellbeing covered energy security and affordable power during the transition to renewables.

Young people wouldn’t be secure “if we are living in a world characterised by natural disasters increasing in frequency and severity to an extent that threatens our health and wellbeing”, Ms Sharma responded.

Climate change would also have a large impact on the future economy against the cost of transitioning to renewables, the Minderoo Foundation’s chief scientist said.”There will be no vibrant economy, healthy society if we continue … to exacerbate climate change,” Dr Anthony Worby said.

Labor senator Karen Grogan questioned how the specific impact of one project could be measured against global and previous emissions.

“I’m concerned that this bill will not deliver what people think it will,” she said.

But Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering CEO Kylie Walker contended science and climate modelling had gotten to the point where “we have much deeper and evidence-based insight into the multi-generational impacts of decisions than we have ever had before”.

Doctors for the Environment Australia also backed the proposed laws.

“As doctors, we practice duty of care, which is a core responsibility to avoid harm and to place the wellbeing of children first,” Dr Karen Kiang said.

Anjali Sharma, Grace Vegesana, Hannah Vardy and Min Park
The Australian Youth Climate Coalition and School Strike for Climate spoke at the Senate hearing. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
“We assert the government has a moral obligation to do the same.”

Climate change was set to exacerbate the strain on the healthcare system, especially in rural and regional Australia, the Australian Medical Students’ Association said.

The Australian Human Rights Commission also supported the principle of the bill but agreed it should be broadened to encompass all children’s rights.

The Australian Medical Association and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners supported the consideration of health impacts on children.

But the medical association wanted the bill to be expanded “to recognise that climate change impacts all generations”.

The inquiry will report by March 1.