The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments has joined with 17 other health organizations to express our longstanding commitment to addressing climate change as a public health priority. Our coalition of groups delivered a Health Professionals’ Declaration on Climate Change and Health to acting EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on June 19th, 2017.
The declaration highlights the health impacts that communities are currently or projected to experience as a result of climate change. This included impacts such as harm to respiratory and cardiac health as a result of poor air quality, increases in vector-borne diseases, and disruption and displacement of communities from extreme weather events. The vulnerability of certain populations, such as children, the elderly, communities of color, low-income communities, and those with chronic diseases, was stressed, as they will be disproportionally impacted.
The declaration across organizations shows the unification of the public health and medical communities in demanding immediate action from the Trump Administration, the EPA Administrator, and Congress to address carbon pollution and other drivers of climate change that harm public health. In addition, our organizations are calling on elected officials to ensure that communities have the resources and ability to adapt to a changing climate.
Health professionals and organizations are invited to sign-on to the letter stating your commitment to addressing climate change. To see the full letter and to add your name or organization, visit the American Lung Association’s webpage here.
