Today’s focus is on the need for cities to plan in advance for the health impacts from climate change that goes beyond the stress from heat waves which have been well documented in North America and Europe. Only few cities, such as Chicago, have prepared contingency plans to build in the resilience needed to adapt to the changing climate.
Key Quotes:
“Warmer year-round temperatures—milder winters, earlier spring thaws, and later frosts—have lengthened pollen seasons and brought forth a surge in toxic plants such as poison ivy changes in the composition and interaction of air pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter, and aeroallergens are expected to heighten human health effects of these pollutants”
“Public health organizations are not very well prepared, which is reflected in the numbers of injuries, illnesses, and deaths due to diseases sensitive to weather and climate..Climate change is one of the most serious public health threats facing our nation. ..Understanding the health impacts of climate change is one of the most vital pieces of information we need to make sound decisions about climate change adaptation,”
“ICLEI’s [Local Governments for Sustainability] Climate Resilient Communities Program..lays out five steps to get cities moving toward an adaptation plan: conduct a climate resiliency study, set preparedness goals, develop an actual climate preparedness plan, publish and implement the plan, and monitor and reevaluate resiliency”
“As a first step in developing a Monitoring, Early Warning, Data Integration, and Surveillance System, the working group is collecting information on the climate-related environmental and health surveillance data that are available at the federal level”
“By explaining that climate change is a human health threat—not just a threat to plants, penguins, and polar bears—public health professionals have a unique opportunity to enhance public engagement in the issue.”
Related articles
- Health Impacts of Climate Change in China (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
- Vulnerability of Communities to Climate Change Impacts (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
- Climate Change Will Snatch West's Dwindling Water (newser.com)
- Western water supplies will take big climate change hit (summitcountyvoice.com)
- Wealth and Climate Change: The [Rich and their] kids are alright (oregonenvironmentalist.wordpress.com)
- Climate change to hit US rivers (bbc.co.uk)
- Why Location is Important in Heat Waves (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
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