Climate Justice and Public Health

John Balbus, MD, MPH

Senior Advisor for Public Health
Director, NIEHS-WHO Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Sciences
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program

Washington, DC
March 13, 2015
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In a warming world, if youre cold, someone else is hot

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/02/19/a-beautiful-view-of-the-polar-vortex-from-18000-feet/

Opening thought: Great threat, great opportunity

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Climate justice through a public health lens.

Overview of climate projections for the US
Health impacts of climate change and the role of social
determinants
What does climate justice through a public health lens
mean?
How the federal government is responding

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Projected Temperature Change of

Hottest Days

Projected Change in Heavy

Precipitation Events

Extreme events trend upwards in US since 1980

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Slide courtesy of Dr. George Luber, CDC

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Heat: mortality in NYC linked to lack of air conditioning

Klein Rosenthal et al., 2014

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Race, Social Capital, and the Health Impacts of Katrina

Significant racial differences persist in specific Katrinainduced health symptoms with African Americans

Adeola, Francis O., and J. Steven Picou. "Race, social capital, and the health
impacts of Katrina: Evidence from the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf
Coast."Human Ecology Review 19.1 (2012): 10-24.
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Vulnerability of NYC neighborhoods to chemical

hazards and extreme events

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So what does climate

justice through a
public health lens
really mean?
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A public health lens on climate justice can mean

Reducing health
disparities is a climate
justice imperative
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?
=
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Environmental regulations are part of the answer

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http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/childrens-lung-health-improves-as-air-pollution-is-reduced-study-says/

A public health lens on climate justice can mean

Sustainable, healthy
communities are the
foundation of
transformation
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Transformation is coming equity must be part of it

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Green Jobs, Sustainable Communities

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A public health lens on climate justice can mean

Special attention to
those most at risk

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Outdoor workers and heat stress- perfect heat storm?

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5724a1.htm
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The Presidents Climate Action Plan- June 2013

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Sustainable and Climate Resilient Health Care Facilities Initiative

3 Part Background Guide

5 Element Framework for Healthcare Facility Resilience
Diagram and Descriptions

Compendium of Resources
Matrix and Guide to Case Studies
Bibliography
Available at toolkit.climate.gov

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The USGCRP Climate and Health

Assessment

Report on impacts of observed and projected climate change

on human health in the United States, with a strong focus on
impact quantification where possible.

Builds upon the current NCA and 2008 US CCSP climate and
health-focused report (SAP 4.6).

The USGCRP Climate and Health Assessment is a Highly

Influential Scientific Assessment.

26

Draft Outline
1. Introduction
2. Thermal Extremes
3. Air Quality Impacts
4. Vectorborne and Zoonotic Disease
5. Waterborne and Foodborne Disease
6. Food Safety, Nutrition, and Access
7. Extreme Weather and Climate Events
8. Mental Health and Stress-Related Disorders
9. Risk Factors and Populations of Concern

Internal 6

Draft Outline
Risk Factors
- Social Determinants of
1. Introduction
Health
- Biological Sensitivity
2. Thermal Extremes
- Exposure
- Resilience
3. Air Quality Impacts
Populations of Concern
- Minority, Low Income, EJ
4. Vectorborne and Zoonotic Disease
- Tribal Peoples
5. Waterborne and Foodborne Disease
- Children and Pregnant
Women
6. Food Safety, Nutrition, and Access
- Older Adults
groups
7. Extreme Weather and Climate -- Occupational
Persons with disabilities
Events
- Persons with chronic
diseases
8. Mental Health and Stress-Related
Disorders
9. Risk Factors and Populations of
Concern
Internal 11

Draft Timeline
The assessment is an interim report
with an estimated publication date in spring 2016 between the
Third NCA (May 2014) and Fourth NCA (expected 2018).

Second
Order
Draft

Second Order Draft of all chapters to steering

committee

December, 2014

Draft delivered to USGCRP for SGCR Principals

Review

January 2015

Peer
Public Comment (Federal Register Notice)
Review
NRC Peer Review
Draft
Internal
Internal Agency Reviews and Clearance
Final Draft

March May, 2015

Final
Release
Draft

Authors Revise and Prepare Final Release Draft

Nov 2015 Feb

2016

Design and Production complete- Roll Out

March, 2016

March - June, 2015

Sept Nov, 2015

29

Climate and Data Tools Initiative

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Resources and activities for protecting health in a context of climate

change

CDCs BRACE framework and guidance

documents
http://
www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/default.htm

3rd National Climate Assessment

http://
nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/sectors/human
-health

USGCRP Climate Health Assessment

http://www.globalchange.gov/health- assessment

Climate Resilience Tool Kit- launching spring

2015
http://toolkit.climate.gov/

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Summary
Climate justice, health disparities, sustainable
communities are all tightly linked
Climate change brings significant threats but can also
force transformative positive change for health
New tools, assessments, and data resources can help
communities protect and promote health

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Thank you!

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/geh
http://www.globalchange.gov
/what-we-do/climate-change-health.html

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