Climate Change and Health

Scientific evidence is now unequivocal

Climate change is impacting the well-being of human societies on our planet

Frequent and severe climate extreme events

Cause widespread impacts to ecosystems, people, cities, and infrastructure

Limit the chances of a livable future

Why One Health is important

As Earth’s population grows, our connection with animals and the environment changes

people live closer together

changes in climate and land use

more global travel and trade

animals are more than just food

The 2024 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown

The latest lancet countdown report reveals the health threats of climate change have reached record-breaking levels

Indicators of climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability

social mediating factors

age, gender, health status

poverty

public health infrastructure

migration

violent conflict

Key Messages in Climate Change

People globally are facing record-breaking threats to wellbeing, health, and survival

governments and companies continue fueling the fire

fossil fuel funding needs to be urgently redirected to actions that benefit health and wellbeing

IPCC

the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change

Physical health impacts due to climate change

heat stress

increased occurrence of foodborne and waterborne diseases

vector-borne diseases

animal and human diseases such as zoonoses

air pollution

food insecurity

food safety

Mental health impacts due to climate change

Adverse impact on well-being and mental health challenges

Vulnerable populations

Communities of color

Older adults

low income communities

children

Determinants of vulnerability

exposure - many factors impacting the likelihood of exposure

sensitivity - underlying conditions and factors can alter an individual’s potential severity of climate change impacts

ability to adapt - ability to cope with extreme weather

Increasing climate change-related resiliency

The root causes of climate-related vulnerability include:

racial bias and discrimination

economic inequality

unequal political power and access

legacy pollution and historical trauma

the impact of climate change threat itself

the capacity of environmental justice communities to withstand climate change related threats

Climate Change and Disability

Climate change risks disproportionately impact people with disabilities

Climate change, gender roles, and female physiology

Cultural and religiously based gender roles place women and girls at higher risk of morbidity and mortality during and after climate-related natural disasters

Women and girls are at increased risk of physical and sexual violence in the wake of natural disasters

Female physiologic needs throughout the life cycle result in unique impacts from climate change

example: heat waves are a growing risk for pregnant women

example: pregnant persons have been seen to have poorer health outcomes during natural disasters

Global sacrifice zones

Regions rendered dangerous and even uninhabitable due to environmental degradation

Obvious implications for specific racial and ethnic communities

Climate Adaptation

Actions that help reduce vulnerability to the current or expected impacts of climate change

Weather extremes and hazards

Sea-level rise

Biodiversity loss

Food and water insecurity

Warming earth

Earth is 1.6 degrees C warmer than it was in the 1800s

This warming is causing widespread and rapid changes in our planet’s atmosphere, ocean, and ecoystems

Weather and climate extremes are more frequent worldwid

It is increasingly urgent that countries and communities adapt

With every fraction of a degree of warming, the impacts of climate change will become more frequent and more intense

Adaptation will become that much harder and more expensive

Adaptation

Especially important for people disproportionately affected by climate change

Women and young children

Older populations

Ethnic minorities

Indigenous peoples

Refugees and displaced persons

Climate Adaptation Challenges

Inadequate finance

Knowledge gaps

Institutional constraints 

Information and knowledge gaps

accurate climate data is not easily available in many developing countries

localized risk assessments often do not exist - makes it difficult to assess impact of climate chang

systems for monitoring, learning, and evaluation of adaptation are still fragmented

Climate Change Mitigation

To limit global warming to the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees C, it is imperative for the world to undertake significant mitigation action

This requires a reduction in greenhouse has emissions by 45 percent before 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century

Mitigation in Developing Countries

Climate change mitigation is especially urgent in developing countries

these nations are already feeling the impacts of climate change and are particularly vulnerable due to a combination of factors:

Geographical and climatic conditions

high dependence on natural resources

limited capacity to adapt to a changing climate

Reducing greenhouse gases can be achieved by

1. Shifting away from fossil fuels and transitioning to modern renewable energy sources

2. Improving energy efficiency - using less energy overall

3. Changing agricultural practices (regenerative agricultural practices)

4. The sustainable management and conservation of forests - reducing deforestation

5. Restoring and conserving critical ecosystems - preserving ecosystems that contribute significantly to carbon sequestration and biodiversity

The Paris Agreement

A key to driving climate adaptation

Legally binding international treaty aiming to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees C, preferably to 1.5 degrees C

Adopted by 196 parties in 2015 and entered into force in 2016

A landmark achievement in international cooperation on climate change

Binding agreement for all parties to scale up efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects

Provides instruments for developed nations to assist developing nations in their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, while creating a framework for transparent monitoring and reporting of results

Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA)

A collective commitment under article 7.1 of the Paris Agreement aimed at enhancing the world’s adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate hange

Commits all 196 parties of the paris agreement to enhancing resilience, reducing vulnerability, and supporting adaptation actions

Trump’s America

No interest in adaptation or mitigation efforts for climate change

Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan

Reduce net GHG emissions in increments, 2025, 2030, and 2050

Established through a 2019 executive order issued by Tom Wolf

Restablished the GreenGov Council to assist state agencies in incorporating environmentally sustainable practices

Pennsylvania joined the US Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors aiming to advance high-impact climate action

Challenges to climate change mitigation efforts

A significant barrier to transitioning to sustainable energy sources is the best interests of big oil that have a sake in maintaining the global economy’s deep rooted dependency on fossil fuels and the acconompanying challenge of eliminating fossil fuel subsidies