Climate Change
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Unless action is taken to curb global climate change, within the next 10 years the earth will pass a “tipping point” beyond which devastating consequences will become unavoidable. It is critical that America’s public health systems understand and adapt to the health implications of climate change.
In many counties and cities, ground water reservoirs contribute to a large part of the total water supply. This is especially true for Florida, where 93 percent of the residents rely on groundwater as their main drinking supply. The National Assessment on Climate Change Impacts suggests that climate change will likely increase precipitation intensity, variability, and form. Therefore, the availability and quality of groundwater will be greatly impacted by the effects of climate change. For more information, visit http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2009/3074/pdf/FS09-3074.pdf. More »
NACCHO invited local health departments (LHDs) to submit applications in response to a request for proposals to conduct a one-year demonstration project to provide support to LHDs towards increasing the level of coordination and communication between disparate programs involved in addressing the public health consequences of climate change. The selected sites are:
Climate Change: The Public Health Response
There is widespread scientific consensus that the world's climate is changing. Mounting evidence suggests current and future effects on human health, including injuries and illnesses from severe weather events, floods, and heat exposure. This article recommends a public health approach to addressing climate change. |
