CLIMATE CHANGE and PUBLIC HEALTH Mitigation Adaptation and

CLIMATE CHANGE and PUBLIC HEALTH Mitigation, Adaptation and Research in New York State Department of Health

What is Climate Change? • “Any significant change in measures of climate, such as temperature, precipitation, wind, and other weather patterns, lasting for decades or longer. ” • Overwhelming consensus of scientific studies is that climate change is human caused and due to increases in greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuel. • Climate change is occurring now, in New York and around the globe. New York State Department of Health

Atmospheric concentrations of important long-lived greenhouse gases over the last 2, 000 years. Increases since about 1750 are attributed to human activities in the industrial era. Concentration units are parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb), indicating the number of molecules of the greenhouse gas per million or billion air molecules, respectively, in an atmospheric sample. (Source: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007) New York State Department of Health

Global Emissions of Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gases, 1970 to 2004 (Source: IPCC. Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, Summary for Policymakers, Figure SPM 3, p. 5. ) New York State Department of Health

Climate Change Indicators New York State Department of Health

Climate Change Indicators (Source: The State of the Climate Highlights: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2009. ) New York State Department of Health

Climate Risks in NYS • Stronger, longer heat waves • More frequent/heavy precipitation events • More frequent/severe droughts • More frequent severe weather events • Sea level rise/coastal flooding New York State Department of Health

Public Health Consequences • Increase in heat-related morbidity/mortality • Increase in vector-, water- and food-borne disease • Loss of water supply and water quality • Outcomes associated with loss of electricity • Increase in adverse health outcomes associated with air pollution (e. g. , asthma, COPD) New York State Department of Health

Public Health Consequences • Increase in health conditions associated with allergens • Effects on the food supply • Evacuation of health care facilities • Disrupted access to emergency/routine medical care • Mental/emotional health consequences New York State Department of Health

Climate Justice/Climate Gap • Everyone is at risk, but greatest health burdens likely to fall on those with lowest socioeconomic status 1 – Ethnic/racial minorities & people who have low incomes • CA Climate Adaptation Strategy 2 describes inequities in context of extreme heat: - Chronic illness - Air conditioning access - Fear of crime 1 CCSP - Urban heat islands - Occupation (Climate Change Science Program). 2008. Analyses of the effects of global change on human health and welfare and human systems. Final Report, Synthesis and Assessment Product 4. 6. Report by the U. S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. Gamble, JL (ed. ), Ebi, KL, Sussman, FG, Wilbanks, TJ (Authors). Washington, DC: US Environmental Protection Agency. 2 Available at: http: //www. climatechange. ca. gov/adaptation/ New York State Department of Health

Ten Essential Services of Public Health Source: Frumkin, H, Hess, J, Luber, G, Malilay, J, Mc. Geehin, M. 2008. Climate change: The public health response. American Journal of Public Health 98(3): 435 -445. New York State Department of Health

Mitigation & Adaptation • Mitigation: actions/policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – “ 40 by 30” and “ 80 by 50” • Adaptation: actions/policies to prepare for climate change, to reduce its impacts and to take advantage of new opportunities. – occurs at individual, community, organizational, institutional levels – calls for incorporating climate change information into planning & decision making New York State Department of Health

Adaptation “As climate change has become a certainty, so has the need for public health action to anticipate, manage, and ameliorate the health burdens it will impose” (Source: Frumkin, H, Hess, J, Luber, G, Malilay, J, Mc. Geehin, M. 2008. Climate change: The public health response. American Journal of Public Health 98(3): 435 -445. ) New York State Department of Health

Actions/Initiatives/Programs • • NYS Climate Action Plan (Interim) NYS Sea Level Rise Task Force NYC NYS Department of Environmental Conservation • NYS Energy Research and Development Authority • Research and Grants New York State Department of Health

NYS Climate Action Plan • • • Required by Executive Order (EO 24, 2008) EO 24 established NYS Climate Action Council NYS CAP (Interim Report) issued 11/10 CAP addresses mitigation and adaptation Multiple “sectors” addressed: – – Public Health Agriculture Transportation etc. New York State Department of Health

NYS CAP: Public Health Adaptation Recommendations • Improve/establish robust mechanisms to reduce the potential for heat-related morbidity and mortality in New York State • Educate/empower/engage all New Yorkers to foster a better understanding of the public health consequences of climate change and take actions to reduce/eliminate those consequences • Assess and improve the capacity of existing public health preparedness, response, and recovery programs to respond to climate-related impacts and direct resources where needed • Build community resilience and integrated public health capacity to reduce human health impacts of climate change New York State Department of Health

NYS CAP: Public Health Adaptation Recommendations • Evaluate and enhance, as necessary, the capacity of existing surveillance programs for vector-, food-, and water-borne diseases and disease-causing agents to monitor and respond to the anticipated climate changerelated increase in such public health threats • Assess and prepare for the significant public health risks associated with hazards related to sea level rise • Conduct and support research on the public health consequences of climate change and their effective incorporation into adaptation strategies New York State Department of Health

NYS Sea Level Rise Task Force • Established in 2007 by NYS Legislature • Charged with assessing the impacts of rising seas on the state’s coastlines, and recommending protective and adaptive measures • Final report to the NYS Legislature issued 12/31/10 • Issues addressed included: – Public works/infrastructure – Effects on communities (public health, loss of shelter, disrupted livelihoods and loss of economic vitality, quality of life and community cohesion) • Public health recommendation: “Undertake a comprehensive assessment of the public health risks associated with sea level rise, coastal hazards and climate change including compromised indoor air quality, effects on drinking water, posttraumatic stress and other mental health problems, increases in disease vectors, impaired access to health care, and loss of reliable access to food and medical supplies. ” New York State Department of Health

NYS DEC • Office of Climate Change – Climate Science and Technology – Climate Programs and Partnerships • Climate Smart Communities – Partnership between NYS and local communities “to lower greenhouse gases and save taxpayer dollars through climate smart actions that also promote community health and safety, affordability, economic strength and quality of life. ” New York State Department of Health

NYSERDA • Clim. AID: The Integrated Assessment for Effective Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in New York State – Goal of providing decision makers with information on the state’s vulnerability to climate change and to facilitate developing adaptation strategies – Authored by university and research scientists (e. g. , Columbia University, City University of New York, Cornell University) – Covers range of “sectors” (public health, agriculture, ecosystems, etc. ) – Draft report issued 11/01/10 • Adaptation and mitigation research funding New York State Department of Health

NYC • Pla. NYC – A comprehensive sustainability plan for NYC’s future • Initiatives related to climate change include: – Expanding greenspace and city-wide tree planting – Creating public plazas in all communities – Promoting use of cleaner burning heating fuels – Reducing motor vehicle emissions New York State Department of Health

Research/Grants • “Climate Variability/Change and the Risks of Under. Studied Adverse Health Outcomes” (CDC). Goals: – To identify which specific diseases are related to individual weather factors including assessment of: • Effects of extreme events and climate variability on health outcomes • Interactive effects of air pollutants • Vulnerable populations – To evaluate utility and efficacy of a composite weather indicator in the study of health effects of weather – To establish a climate-health tracking system and develop public health communication/education strategies • DOH contact: Shao Lin (sxl 05@health. state. ny. us) New York State Department of Health

Evidence of Increasing Warming and Wetness in NYS (1900 - 2008) Supported in part by Grant #5 U 01 EH 000396 -01 (NY) National Center for Environmental Health, Center for Disease Control and Grant # 5 U 38 EH 000184 -05 National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The meteorological data are provided by the National Center for Atmospheric Research which is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation. New York State Department of Health

Research/Grants • “Developing Public Health Capacity and Adaptations to Reduce Human Health Effects of Climate Change in New York State” (CDC) • Overarching goal is to leverage existing programmatic initiatives to reduce human health effects of climate change by: – Enhancing assessment – Expanding planning – Building capacity • DOH contact: Kathleen Clancy (kxs 25@health. state. ny. us) New York State Department of Health

Summary Climate change: – is real – is happening now – poses significant public health threats There is an urgent need for planning and action New York State Department of Health

Some Information Resources • Climate Literacy. The Essential Principles of Climate Sciences http: //downloads. climatescience. gov/Literacy/Climate%20 Literacy% 20 Booklet%20 Hi-Res. pdf • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change http: //www. ipcc. ch/ • NYSERDA’s Clim. AID Project http: //www. nyserda. org/programs/environment/emep/clim-aidsynthesis-draft. pdf • NYS Climate Action Plan http: //www. nyclimatechange. us/Interim. Report. cfm New York State Department of Health

Some Information Resources • NYS Sea Level Rise Task Force http: //www. dec. ny. gov/energy/45202. html • NYS DEC Office of Climate Change http: //www. dec. ny. gov/about/43166. html • NYC – Pla. NYC (climate change) http: //www. nyc. gov/html/planyc 2030/html/plan/climate. shtml • APHA Webinar Series: “Climate Change: Mastering the Public Health Role” http: //www. apha-environment. org/ New York State Department of Health