Talking Climate: Health
Our Second Fridays programming continued in June with Talking Climate: Health and How to Connect on Climate. These events took place on July 23, 2021.
The intertwined crises we face today—climate and inequality—have grave consequences for human health and collective wellbeing. Talking Climate: Health featured the insights of panelists Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Deputy Director at the New York City Mayor's Office of Climate and Sustainability; Dr. Vijay Limaye, Climate and Health Scientist at NRDC's Science Center; and Peggy Shepard, Co-founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
In How to Connect on Climate Dr. Edward Maibach, University Professor and Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University, shared his research and expertise on climate communications and public health.
Like all of the Climate Museum’s programs, Talking Climate: Health and How to Connect on Climate aim to create ground for community-building, democratic engagement, and civic action on the climate crisis.
This resource guide is designed to complement our Second Fridays programming. If you enjoyed these readings or want to add to the list, please let us know!
Climate Change Exacerbating Health Inequalities
“Heat waves kill people—and climate change is making it much, much worse” by Alejandra Borunda (National Geographic, July 2021)
“The impacts in the U.S. are also devastating: About 35 percent of the U.S.’s heat-related deaths could be attributed to the climate change that has already occurred. Other research has clearly shown that those costs are not borne equally: in many cities, older people of color are twice as likely to die during extreme heat events than older white people.”
“As wildfire smoke spreads, who's at risk?” by Matthew Brown (Associated Press, July 2021)
“Redlined, Now Flooding” by Kriston Capps and Christopher Cannon (Bloomberg, March 2021)
“Across 38 major U.S. metros, more than $107 billion worth of homes at high risk for flooding were located in historically redlined (and yellowlined) neighborhoods. That’s 25% more than the value of homes at high flood risk located in parts of the city deemed desirable—that is, white neighborhoods.”
“Heat waves can be life-threatening -- for more reasons than one” by Alexandria Herr (Grist, June 2021)
“The most obvious public health risk of heat waves is the risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, especially for those who work outside, including agricultural and construction workers, people experiencing homelessness, and those living with poor ventilation or without air conditioning. But that’s not the only public health risk of heat waves. Along with heat also comes bad air quality, which poses its own dangers.”
“Life in the Drill Zone” by Elizabeth Shogren (Reveal, June 2021)
“Altogether, more than half of Arlington’s public schools and day care facilities are within a half-mile of active gas production. Eight day care centers are within 600 feet, the standard setback in Arlington. In recent years, scores of scientific studies have linked proximity to drilling to increased health risks, including childhood asthma, childhood leukemia and birth defects.
“The link between climate change, health and poverty” presentation by Dr. Cheryl Holder (TEDMED, March 2020)
Healthy People, Healthy Planet
“How addressing climate change can also improve public health” by Maeve Brennan (Yale Climate Connections, April 2021)
“In broadening the climate change narrative to include both the health and environmental impacts of climate change, participants must strive to address the question, “How can we build a healthy planet for healthy people?” Also, by painting that bigger picture, they can achieve a “win-win” solution to increase support and engagement and expand possibilities for important climate solutions.”
“Climate Hazards Harm Workers. Health Professionals Can Help” by Teniope Adewumi-Gunn and Prasanna Vankina (Natural Resources Defense Council, June 2021)
“We need many stakeholders, including health professionals—who are important role models for society—to understand, address, and advocate for workplace health and safety. Healthcare professionals can address the climate hazards faced by workers in three ways: educating professionals across all health sectors on occupation-related climate issues, identifying climate-related injury and illness trends in worker populations, and advocating for climate programs and policies that protect workers.”
“The search for the Dr. Fauci of climate change” by Claire Fieseler (Grist, June 2021)
“The authors of The Lancet’s latest report on health and climate, who represent United Nations agencies and 35 of the world’s leading research institutions, see this as a model for what can happen with climate change: ‘Just as it did with advancements in sanitation and hygiene and with tobacco control, a growing and sustained engagement from the health profession … [fills] a crucial gap in the global response to climate change.’”
“The Public Health Cost of Climate Change Is Already in the Billions” by Vijay Limaye (Natural Resources Defense Council, September 2020)
Work and Insights from our Expert Panelists
Vijay Limaye, Natural Resources Defense Council Climate and Health Scientist
“Making the Climate Crisis Personal Through a Focus on Human Health” by Vijay Limaye (Climatic Change, June 2021)
“Fundamentally, undertaking a human health–centered approach to communicating about the implications of the climate crisis is about bringing this issue to a more relatable scale.”
“Climate Harms to Health Are Widespread & Costly” by Vijay Limaye (Natural Resources Defense Council, May 2021)
“Given that dire forecast, we face a choice: continue suffering climate harms and paying soaring healthcare bills, or take bold action to cut climate pollution and invest wisely in cost-effective solutions that will prevent millions of people in our country (especially the most vulnerable) from suffering injuries, illness, and premature death.”
“Reducing Climate Pollution Improves Children’s Health Today” by Vijay Limaye (Natural Resources Defense Council, December 2020)
“Public Health Scientist and Advocate” interview with Vijay Limaye by Keith Mulvihill (Natural Resources Defense Council, September 2020)
Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Deputy Director Mayor's Resiliency Office in New York City
“Beating Extreme Heat with Kizzy Charles-Guzman and Sarah Johnson” On the Air podcast episode (American Meteorological Society, August 2020)
“Here's What Extreme Heat Looks Like: Profoundly Unequal” by Somini Sengupta (New York Times, August 2020)
“Inequality exacerbates climate and environmental risks,” said Kizzy Charles-Guzman, a deputy director for resilience efforts in the New York City Mayor’s office. Isolation makes it worse. With no one to check in on you, even a mild case of dehydration can take a quick turn for the worse if you’re frail or suffer from other ailments, like heart disease.”
“New York City Beats the Heat - Part 1” Can’t Take the Heat podcast (Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, August 2020)
“What can Policy Achieve in Supporting the Building of Resilient Communities?” talk by Kizzy Charles-Guzman (The Concious Cities Festival, October 2019)
Peggy Shepard, Co-founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice
“Peggy Shepard Talks About Environmental Racism” news special from CBS News (We ACT for Environmental Justice, April 2021)
“How Peggy Shepard helped spearhead environmental action in West Harlem” by Maya Lameche (Columbia Spectator, March 2021)
“‘There were hundreds of people of color like me from all over the country who were working on the same issues in their neighborhoods,’ Shepard said. ‘You tend to think you’re the only one with that problem, and then you find out that there are hundreds of groups around the country all working on similar issues, because there was a systemic issue of environmental racism—not just in my community but across the country. That was the first time that I really saw other women like me.’”
“Voter suppression is a climate justice issue — and 2020 is the tipping point” by Peggy Shepard and Tamara Toles O’Laughlin (Grist, October 2020)
“Advancing Environmental and Climate Justice: A Community Perspective” talk by Peggy Shepard (New York Society for Ethical Culture, September 2020)
How to Connect on Climate
Dr. Edward Maibach, University Professor and Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University
After the panel, Second Fridays continued with How to Connect on Climate, a conversation with climate communications expert Dr. Edward Maibach and Climate Museum Post-Doctoral Fellow in Climate and Inequality Dilshanie Perera.
“Health professionals, the Paris agreement, and the fierce urgency of now” by Edward Maibach, Jeni Miller, Fiona Armstrong, Omnia El Omrani, Ying Zhang, Nicky Philpott Sue Atkinson Linda Rudoph, Josh Karliner, Jennifer Wang, Claudel Pétrin-Desrosiers, Anne Stauffer, and Génon K. Jensen (The Journal of Climate Change and Health, March 2021)
“As a diverse group of committed citizens, deeply connected to our communities, and with the agency to influence our worlds’ leaders, we—health professionals worldwide—have the potential to help the world strengthen and achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement. This can be our greatest contribution to the health and wellbeing of all people.”
“Health Professionals and the Climate Crisis: Trusted Voices, Essential Roles” by Edward Maibach, Howard Frumkin, Samantha Ahdoot (World Medical and Health Policy, March 2021)
“Climate Activism: a Six Americas Analysis” by Anthony Leiserowitz, Edward Maibach, Seth Rosenthal, and John Kotcher (Yale Program on Climate Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, December 2020)
“Fossil fuels are harming our brains: identifying key messages about the health effects of air pollution from fossil fuels” by John Kotcher, Edward Maibach, and Wen-Tsing Choi (BMC Public Health, August 2019)
A complete list of Dr. Edward Maibach’s publications.can be found here.
Support Indigenous Activism
In a virtual context where readers and audience members join us from across the United States and around the world, we acknowledge that this event, and our work and lives generally, take place on unceded Indigenous territories. We encourage readers to discover the histories of their particular locations and of others listed here, to engage with efforts restoring land back to Indigenous stewardship, and to support Indigenous-led organizing against the expansion of health-threatening fossil fuel infrastructure.
Native Land Digital: This is a tool to use as a first step in learning more about the names, traditions, and histories of Indigenous communities and land across the globe.
“Resource Guide for Indigenous Solidarity Funding Projects: Honor Taxes and Real Rent Projects.” Compiled by the Indigenous Solidarity Network and representatives from the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust/Shuumi Land Tax, Real Rent Duwamish, and the Manna-hatta Fund.
Please find more information on organizations bringing attention to the connections between climate and health in their advocacy:
Indigenous Environmental Network
“Established in 1990 within the United States, IEN was formed by grassroots Indigenous peoples and individuals to address environmental and economic justice issues (EJ). IEN’s activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.”
Center for Climate and Health, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
“ANTHC’s Center for Climate and Health assists communities and helps them to better understand the impacts of climate change and how to adapt in healthy ways. The program provides assessments, technical assistance, training through 7 Generations and assistance monitoring environmental impacts.”
“Where Indigenous communities steward the land, fire and water is better managed. Returning more land to Indigenous people and having Indigenous leaders’ input on land management strategies is essential in combating a cataclysmic climate crisis. Land Back restores Indigenous Nations’ sovereignty and encourages more connection with the earth.”