Climate change represents one of the most significant threats to human health in the 21st century. The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), in collaboration with many units across the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, is developing an initiative to comprehensively assess the health risks of climate change and develop strategies to address both drivers and impacts.

The Intersection of Climate Change & Human Health – A Few Examples

• Infectious and chronic disease | Changes in temperature and rainfall may affect the lifespan, behavior, and geographic spread of mosquitoes and other carriers of infectious disease. As a result, new populations may be exposed to diseases that were previously well controlled. Changing weather patterns also influence levels of allergens and pollutants in the environment, exacerbating chronic conditions like asthma.
• Extreme weather events | Climate change increases the frequency, severity, and duration of events like hurricanes, wildfires, floods, heat waves, and droughts – all of which have serious consequences for health as well as implications for the design and location of hospitals and other health system infrastructure.
• Food and water | Changes in temperature, precipitation, and carbon dioxide levels affect the quality and availability of food and water worldwide and may increase the risk of food- and water-borne illness.
• Population migration, social stressors, and mental health | Climate-related stressors such as sea level rise or food and water scarcity may trigger major population displacements – presenting a significant challenge for health and social systems in communities around the world. These and other consequences of climate change also have serious implications for the mental health of impacted individuals, first responders, and caregivers.

Climate Change and Health Equity

The negative impacts of climate change disproportionately affect the very young and the very old, people who are ill, impoverished or homeless individuals, and populations that depend on the natural environment for survival. Urgent action is needed to mitigate the health consequences of climate change for these populations, among others.

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