Climate Changes Health: Climate Justice

Climate Justice

Climate change is a health threat to everyone. However, certain groups are disproportionately impacted due to increased exposure to pollution and extreme weather and decreased ability to adapt to these threats. Check out APHA's guide to mitigate these inequalities, Recommendations for Equitable Grantmaking, below.
Access the report here

Climate change is public health's greatest challenge. While all of us will experience the health impacts of climate change, certain groups, like children, the elderly, the underserved and minority communities, are less climate-resilient and, as a result, are more vulnerable to negative health effects of climate change. 

How can we help? By providing resources and assistance to communities that need it most. That way, we can create healthy environments across all places. Yet we can only achieve healthy environments if our efforts are supported with sound science and informed policy. Let’s work to make sure both the best science and policies that address climate injustice are in every conversation about climate change solutions. 

Follow the conversation using the hashtag #ClimateChangesHealth.

Check out Building Power with Environmental Justice Communities: Recommendations for Equitable Grantmaking.

RESOURCES AND PARTNERS

AJPH Articles

Climate Justice Partners

Dive Deeper into Climate Topics

Turbines operate on a prairie

Clean Energy

Learn how clean energy can benefit our health.

Person walks across flooding road in Vermont

Extreme Weather

In the wake of the California wildfires, learn how to keep your family safe and support those impacted.

Diabetes monitor, Cholesterol diet and healthy food eating nutritional concept with clean fruits in nutritionist's heart dish and patient's blood sugar control record with diabetic measuring tool kit

Agriculture and Food Safety and Security

Climate change is expected to threaten food production, food quality, food prices and distribution systems.

Transportation A Community Driver of Health

Transportation and Healthy Community Design

Poor transportation decisions and planning can negatively impact health and create health inequities.

five smiling kids arm in arm in front of a chalkboard

Vulnerable Populations

Certain groups will disproportionately feel the health impacts of climate change.

A boy drinks water from a glass

Water Quality

Climate change jeopardizes the quality and safety of our water.

Air Pollution from smoke stacks

Air Quality, Lung and Heart Health

Climate change reduces air quality, putting our health at risk.

Doctor examining MRI scans

Mental Wellness and Resilience

Addressing the health impacts of climate change is an APHA priority