Climate Change
Rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, and other effects of climate change are placing human health at risk. Increasing threats to health include worsening air and water quality, increased exposure to vector-borne and infectious diseases, threats to food security, and increased mental health and stress-related disorders. Climate change exacerbates not only health and environmental concerns, but also social inequities. The impacts to health burden certain populations disproportionately, including but not limited to, communities of color, immigrant populations, tribal communities, children and older adults, people with disabilities or health conditions, low-income communities, and pregnant people.
As communities across the United States are faced with the health and societal effects of climate change, local health departments are uniquely positioned to identify, prevent, and respond to climate-related health impacts in an equitable manner. NACCHO aims to provide resources to ensure local health departments are equipped to take on this role, while elevating best practices and success stories at the local level.
View success stories of climate change adaptations occurring in a local health department near you!
Success stories:
- Highlight local efforts to prepare for and build resiliency to the health impacts of climate change;
- Support new and ongoing initiatives in other local health departments;
- Identify best practices;
- Provide real-world case studies; and
- Highlight only a few of the many departments actively engaged in climate change efforts.
The NACCHO Global Climate Change Workgroup is committed to providing leadership and resources to support local health department climate change efforts. The workgroup is comprised of local health officials, environmental health professionals, environmental health directors, and subject matter experts who are interested in enhancing climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and practices.
The workgroup holds at least one in-person meeting (pending funding), monthly conference calls, and work in between meetings. In addition, the workgroup reviews documents and participates in judging model practice applications throughout the year. Appointment to the workgroup is for a two-year term with an option for reappointment to a second two-year term. Message environmentalhealth@naccho.org for more information.
Click below to access NACCHO's policy statements regarding climate change and other public health issues.
Below are some of the most recent webinars hosted by NACCHO related to climate change. For additional resources, check out NACCHO's Toolbox where you can filter out tools in the Climate Change Toolkit.
Additional resources addressing the health impacts of climate change and what local health departments are doing and can do are listed below.
NACCHO's Climate Change Community of Practice provides a space for individuals who are interested in, or work with, climate change resilience and mitigation. This virtual community can be used to share information, best practices, and resources relevant to climate change, and allow for participants to virtually network with others who work in this area of public health. To join, go to https://virtualcommunities.naccho.org/communities/allcommunities and search for "Climate Change."
Environmental Health Program
Chelsea Gridley-Smith
Director of Environmental Health
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Environmental Health Program
Angana Roy
Sr. Program Analyst - Environmental Health
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Environmental Health Program
Tiara Smith
Program Analyst
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