ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
DIRECT FROM ecoAmerica
The Climate World Is Changing, So Can We
Nicole Hill, MPH
Ben Fulgencio- Turner, MPP, CPH
Editor’s Note: The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature this column from ecoAmerica whose mission is to build public support and political resolve for climate solutions. NEHA is an ocial partner of ecoAmerica and works closely with their Climate for Health Program, a coalition of health leaders committed to caring for our climate to care for our health. The conclusions in this column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the ocial position of NEHA. Ben Fulgencio-Turner is the director of Climate for Health within ecoAmer- ica. Nicole Hill is the research and marketing manager for ecoAmerica.
(n.d.) has prepared a tool kit to estimate your benefits and plan how to access them. The federal government is also releasing regular updates on the Inflation Reduction Act (The White House, n.d.). These advances owe a great deal to the engagement, advocacy, and strong voice of leaders in the health sector. Individual and community health is a strong motivator for action on climate change; people from all walks of life care deeply about clean air, safe water, and the risks of severe weather (Hill, 2021). The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is leading the way. The association’s commitment to climate action is outlined in their policy statement on climate change (NEHA, 2020) and their declara- tion on 100% clean energy by 2030 (NEHA, 2018). NEHA was one of the first organiza- tions to o£er the Climate for Health Climate Ambassador Training at their 2019 Annual Educational Conference & Exhibition. As of January 2023, 46 national associations repre- senting hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals have joined ecoAmerica’s Cli- mate for Heath coalition and are committed to climate action to prevent future health harms. You can make a di£erence in your work- place, local community, and home. In the workplace, advocate for a climate position statement or include it in your organization’s mission. Review the climate statements from national climate leaders like NEHA for ambi- tious language to use. Stay in touch with Inflation Reduction Act implementation as specific credits and programs for transpor- tation, buildings, and energy are defined. In your community, your role as an environmen- tal health professional gives you an opportu-
O ver the past century, the world has experienced a dramatic increase in emissions from burning fossil fu- els, resulting in changes to the climate across the globe (Lindsey, 2022). We know that the outcome of these changes on human health is far-reaching, with every child around the world at risk from at least one climate change impact such as heat and air pollution (UNI- CEF, 2021). The 2022 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown (2022) confirms that life-threatening extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. These risks and health impacts are changing attitudes of people in the U.S. A 2022 ecoAmerica survey revealed that nearly 7 in 10 people in the U.S. agree that climate change is a serious prob- lem (Hill, 2022). As public consensus to take climate action grows, leaders and organizations at the local, national, and international levels are respond- ing. A total of 196 parties signed the Paris
Agreement at the 21st session of the Con- ference of the Parties (COP 21), agreeing to limit global warming to below 2 °C. In 2021 the U.S. formed the National Climate Task Force alongside additional executive actions from President Joe Biden prioritizing cli- mate change. And just last year, the Inflation Reduction Act was passed—a historic bill estimated to bring economic growth, clean energy expansion, and emission reductions. People in the U.S. support these actions: over 4 in 5 say addressing climate change should be a priority for the U.S. (Hill, 2022). The new resources and billions of dollars of investments and direct grants included in the Inflation Reduction Act will lower the price for renewable energy and help to address climate-related environmental haz- ards. Tax credits for individuals and organi- zations will significantly lower the up-front cost to transition to clean energy and resilient facilities and communities. Rewiring America
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Volume 85 • Number 7
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