Integrating Health into Local Climate Response: Lessons from the U.S. CDC Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative

Conclusion Through relatively small amounts of grant support over the last 6 y, CRSCI has helped local public health agencies in sixteen states and two cities—whose combined population reaches half of the U.S. total—identify critical climate impacts and vulnerable populations. In the process, the program has helped to integrate health more fully into local climate change efforts. As a result of CRSCI support, these local public health agencies—the backbone of public health climate response capacity—have tools to enhance real-life adaptive capacity and increase the effectiveness of existing interventions, such as heat response plans. They are also better prepared to take the next steps toward developing climate and health adaptation plans. However, the CRSCI program is only a start; vast needs remain in the United States as well as globally. At a time of uncertain commitment to climate change agreements at the national level, the challenge of building adaptive capacity in public health rests in large part at the local level. Subnational governments worldwide have a role to play in adapting to the health risks of a changing climate and enhancing the urgency of needed mitigation policies. As demonstrated with the examples here, the CRSCI program approach illustrates a way forward toward robust, targeted, and resilient local preparedness and response that may serve as a useful model for public health departments in the United States and internationally as the climate cont...
Source: EHP Research - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Brief Communication Source Type: research