Categories fill an important role in the development of new fields of study. They set a framework for understanding new ideas. They inform priorities for research and innovation. And, they encourage engagement with complicated concepts by attaching a “short hand” label to topics that might otherwise only be discussed in academic or scientific circles.

Scientific and political authorities have developed two such categories, or labels, to distinguish between policy responses to climate change.

Adaptation refers to activities that reduce vulnerability to the projected short- and long-term impacts of climate change.

Mitigation refers to activities that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby working to slow (and eventually stop) global warming.

Public health and sustainability have traditionally identified with different climate change categories: public health participating in adaptation activities and sustainability focusing on mitigation technologies and strategies.

This series of three blog posts will review the traditional role of public health (part 1) and sustainability (part 2) in climate change activities before proposing that both disciplines would be better served by collaboratively engaging across categories—combining adaptation with mitigation (part 3).

The following adaptation activities fall within the traditional role of Public Health:

1. Establish a formal interagency mechanism to identify and prioritize potential risks to human, natural, and economic systems resulting from climate change. Support vulnerable communities’ adaption to these changes.

Link to Public Health

Certain populations are particularly at risk to the public health consequences of climate change. Public Health can help identify vulnerable populations and target preparedness and emergency response activities to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience.

Sample Locations

Alaska

Health and Culture Adaptation Options, September 2009, HC15: Office of Climate Change Coordination (link)

Arizona

Establish a state adaptation advisory group (link)

California

Climate Adaptation Advisory Panel (link)

California, 2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy, Public health strategy 7 (link)

Florida

Energy and Climate Change Action Plan: Phase 2, 2008, GP-3: Inter-Government Planning Coordination and Assistance and ADP-13: Coordination with Other Regulatory and Standards Entities (link)

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Second Report and Initial Recommendations, 2008, Recommendation C.3, D.10, E.4, F.3, F.4 (link)

2. Increase surveillance of infectious and non-infectious diseases associated with climate change.

Link to Public Health

A public health surveillance infrastructure already exists at the state level and, to some extent, at the local level. The CDC launched a National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network in 2009 to coordinate activities at the state and local level and start building a national surveillance program.

Depending on the location, climate change could be linked to diseases associated with:

• changes in the season and range of vectors (e.g., mosquitoes);

• sanitation concerns associated with disrupted services during emergencies;

• waterborne illness associated with water scarcity, flooding, storm surge, etc.; and,

• vector, air quality, and water contamination concerns associated with solid waste management.

Sample Locations

Alaska

Health and Culture Adaptation Options, September 2009, HC2: Surveillance and Control  (link)

California

2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy, Public health strategy 4 (link)

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Climate Change Advisory Task Force, Second Report and Initial Recommendations, 2008, Recommendation E.2 (link)

3. Community Health Impact Assessments

Link to Public Health

Screen proposed climate change adaptation and mitigation activities for direct and indirect public health benefits and harms. For example, incorporate climate change adaptation screening into Environmental Impact Assessments. Prioritize activities that promote resilience and minimize direct and indirect harm to public health, the environment, and the economy.

Sample Locations

Alaska

Health and Culture Adaptation Options, September 2009, HC3: Community Health Impact Evaluation Initiative (link)

California

2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy, Key recommendation 8 (link)

Florida

Energy and Climate Change Action Plan: Phase 2, 2008, ADP-2: Comprehensive Planning and ADP-11: Organizing State Government for the Long Haul (link)

4. Adapt community sanitation and solid waste management to respond to a changing climate.

Link to Public Health

Sanitation and solid waste systems may be compromised by a warming climate:

• Melting permafrost in northern regions can lead to subsidence, causing structural rupture of sanitation systems.

• Storm surges and flooding can compromise water treatment plants and sanitary sewers.

• Drought can compromise source water quantity and quality.

• Vectors and pests may extend their range into areas not prepared for them due to warming ambient temperatures

Sample Locations

Alaska

Health and Culture Adaptation Options, September 2009, HC4: Sanitation (link)

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Climate Change Advisory Task Force, Second Report and Initial Recommendations, 2008, Recommendation F.2 (link)

King County, Washington

2008 King County Climate Report: Land Use, Buildings and Transportation Infrastructure (link)

New York City

plaNYC 2007, Climate Change Initiative 1: Create an Intergovernmental Task Force to Protect Our Vital Infrastructure (link)

5. Consider adaptation strategies and/or avoid development in areas at risk to climate-related hazards, such as flooding, wildfires, erosion, subsidence, etc.

Link to Public Health

Developments that are vulnerable to climate change are also vulnerable to accompanying public health risks, such as drowning, heat stroke, waterborne disease, etc. Many public health crises can be avoided by prohibiting development in vulnerable areas and by incorporating community resilience into planning requirements.

Sample Locations

California

2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy, Key recommendations 3 & 5 (link)

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Climate Change Advisory Task Force, Second Report and Initial Recommendations, 2008, Recommendation C.1, D.4, E.1 (link)

New York City

plaNYC 2007, Energy Initiative 3: Strengthen energy and building codes for New York City (link)

6. Institute comprehensive water management policies.

Link to Public Health

Water quality can be protected through efficiency measures, protecting water sources, and supporting ecosystem resilience in the areas that supply water.

Water supplies may need to be drawn from new sources to meet demand, such as rainwater, on-site wastewater treatment, and municipally reclaimed water. Public health considerations should be incorporated into the regulations governing these new technologies to protect the public from exposure to waterborne diseases.

Sample Locations

California

2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy, Key recommendation 2 (link)

Colorado

Climate Action Panel, 2007 Report, WA 1-WA 14 (link)

Florida

Energy and Climate Change Action Plan: Phase 2, 2008, ADP-4: Water Resources Management (link)

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Climate Change Advisory Task Force, Second Report and Initial Recommendations, 2008, Recommendation D.4, D.5, D.7 (link)

King County, Washington

2008 King County Climate Report: Surface Water Management, Freshwater Quality and Water Supply (link)

7. Incorporate climate change risk into emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation, and response plans.

Link to Public Health

Incorporating public health surveillance data into regional climate change models will help emergency responders prepare for short- and long-term shifts in the type and intensity of climate-related events.

Sample Locations

California

2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy, Key recommendation 10, Comprehensive state strategy 3, Public health strategy 5 (link)

Florida

Energy and Climate Change Action Plan: Phase 2, 2008, ADP-8: Emergency Preparedness and Response (link)

King County, Washington

2008 King County Climate Report: Flood control (link)

New York City

plaNYC 2007, Initiative 3: Launch a Citywide Strategic Planning Process for Climate Change Adaptation (link)

8. Inform, educate, and empower the public about the links between health and climate change.

Link to Public Health

Community engagement is one of the 10 essential services of public health.  Many of the topics that form part of traditional public health educational outreach are also connected with climate change: extreme heat, winter weather, flooding, air quality (asthma, allergies, etc.), exposure to toxic chemicals, etc. A climate change public education and engagement program should build off of these longstanding public health concerns to establish links between individual behavioral changes and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Sample Locations

California

2009 Climate Adaptation Strategy, Public health strategy 2 (link)

Florida

Energy and Climate Change Action Plan: Phase 2, 2008, ADP-14: Education (link)

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Climate Change Advisory Task Force, Second Report and Initial Recommendations, 2008, Recommendation E.3, F.1, F.5, F.6 (link)

New York City

plaNYC 2007, Climate Change Initiative 2: Work with Vulnerable Neighborhoods to Develop Site-Specific Strategies (link)

 

The next installment of this post will review mitigation activities that fall within the traditional role of sustainability.

Suggested Additional Reading

Center for Climate Strategies, http://www.climatestrategies.us/

King County, Washington

Preparing for Climate Change: A Guidebook for Local, Regional, and State Governments, 2007, http://cses.washington.edu/cig/fpt/guidebook.shtml

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, http://www.ipcc.ch/

Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr.pdf

Pew Center on Global Climate Change, http://www.pewclimate.org

Adaptation, http://www.pewclimate.org/hottopics/adaptation

Energy Efficiency , http://www.pewclimate.org/energy-efficiency