Focus
Public Health Response to a Changing Climate
August 2013
The changing climate endangers human health which will affect health at work. Learn what the United States Centres for Disease Control (CDC) is doing to prevent and adapt to the possible health effects of climate change.
The environmental consequences of climate change are happening now and are expected to increase in the future. Signs of a changing climate include:
- sea-level rise
- changes in precipitation causing flooding and drought
- heat waves
- more intense hurricanes and storms
- poor air quality
Climate change affects human health both directly and indirectly.
The issue of climate change is broad and complex; addressing the health effects is challenging. CDC’s Climate and Health Program works to prevent and adapt to the possible health effects of climate change. The program identifies the populations most vulnerable to these impacts, predicts future trends, creates systems to detect and respond to emerging health threats, and designs programs to manage health risks now and in the future. The climate change funding for CDC represents the only U.S. Government investment dedicated to preparing our nation to anticipate and adapt to the health effects linked to climate change.
CDC funds the Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative to strengthen the capabilities of state and local health agencies to deal with the challenges associated with climate change. Through CDC funding and technical support, sixteen state and two city health departments are applying advanced methods to address the health effects of climate change. As the nation’s lead public health agency, CDC is using its prevention expertise to help state and city health departments investigate, prepare for, and respond to the health effects of a changing climate.
Additional information:
- Extreme Heat and Your Health
- CDC Climate and Health Program
- CDC’s Climate-Ready States & Cities Initiative
Worldwide other organisations are also looking at the same challenges – for example in the UK The Wellcome Trust: www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/Policy/Spotlight-issues/Health-impacts-of-climate-change/Climate-change-and-health/index.htm
Likewise various policy reports have also been produced: www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/Policy/Spotlight-issues/Health-impacts-of-climate-change/Policy-reports/index.htm
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