DateApril 13, 2015
SourceN/A
American Academy of Pediatrics ▪ American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine ▪ American College of Preventive Medicine ▪ American Lung Association ▪ American Medical Association ▪ American Nurses Association ▪ American Public Health Association ▪ American Thoracic Society ▪ Association of State and Territorial Health Officials ▪ Children’s Environmental Health Network ▪ Health Care without Harm ▪ Hepatitis Foundation International ▪ National Association of County and City Health Officials ▪ National Association of Local Boards of Health ▪ National Environmental Health Association ▪ Partnership for Prevention ▪ Physicians for Social Responsibility ▪ Trust for America’s Health
September 28, 2010
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
The United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
To President Obama, Members of the United States Senate and Members of the United States House of Representatives,
Climate change is a serious public health issue. As temperatures rise, more Americans will be exposed to conditions that can result in illness and death due to respiratory illness, heat- and weather-related stress and disease carried by insects. These health issues are likely to have the greatest impact on our most vulnerable communities, including children, older adults, those with serious health conditions and the most economically disadvantaged.
The latest assessment from the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), the Global Climate Change Impacts in the U.S., states that “Climate change poses unique challenges to human health…. There are direct health impacts from heat waves and severe storms, ailments caused or exacerbated by air pollution and airborne allergens, and many climate-sensitive infectious diseases.”
As public health professionals, we are writing to urge you to recognize the threat to public health posed by climate change and to support measures that will reduce these risks and strengthen the ability of our local, state and federal public health agencies to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.
In order to prepare for changes already under way, it is essential to strengthen our public health system so it is able to protect our communities from the health effects of heat waves, wildfires, floods, droughts, infectious diseases, and other events. But we must also address the root of the problem, which means reducing the emissions that contribute to climate change. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for protecting the public’s health from climate change, and we urge you to fully support the EPA in fulfilling its responsibilities. We also urge opposition to any efforts to weaken, delay or block the EPA from protecting the public’s health from these risks.
To provide the most complete protection for Americans, Congress should resume efforts to pass clean energy and climate legislation that includes strong provisions to protect public health adequately and appropriately. If our organizations may be of further assistance, please contact Don Hoppert with the American Public Health Association at 202-777-2514.
Sincerely,
| National organizations | |
| American Academy of Pediatrics American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine American College of Preventive Medicine American Lung Association American Medical Association American Nurses Association American Public Health Association American Thoracic Society Association of State and Territorial Health Officials |
Children’s Environmental Health Network Health Care without Harm Hepatitis Foundation International National Association of County and City Health Officials National Association of Local Boards of Health National Environmental Health Association Partnership for Prevention Physicians for Social Responsibility Trust for America’s Health |
| State and local organizations and health professionals | |
| Alaska Alaska Public Health Association
Arizona California Colorado Connecticut |
Delaware American Lung Association of Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho |
| Illinois Autism Society of Illinois Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition Illinois Nurses Association Illinois Public Health Association Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago Brynn Weimer, Physical Therapist Indiana Kansas Massachusetts |
Maryland Maryland Public Health Association Baltimore Physicians for Social Responsibility Maine Michigan Missouri |
| Montana Andy Puckett, MD Benjamin Schmidt, Air Quality Specialist Beth Schenk, RN Carolyn Goren, Physician (retired) Georgia Milan, MD Dr. Greg Lind, Physician Dr. James Wiggins, Physician John Beighle, MD Marcia Hanks, APRN, CNM Mary Huddle, APRN, CNM Nancy Wiggins, Nurse Practitioner Paul Gazzo, RN Paul Loehnen, Physician (retired) North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska |
New Mexico New Mexico Physicians for Social Responsibility New Mexico Public Health Association Bernalillo Community Health Council Bill Monroe, RN Phil Marcus, President New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council Nevada New York Ohio Oregon |
| Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania Chapter American Lung Association of Pennsylvania Erie County Board of Health Pennsylvania Public Health Association Philadelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility Womens Health & Environmental Network Duanping Liao, MD, PhD Esther Chung, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Jefferson Pediatrics/duPont Children’s Health Program James Plumb, Director, Center for Urban Health, Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital Jeff Yanosky, Sc. D, Assistant Professor, Epidemiology, Public Health Sciences Stephen Krebs, MD Thomas J. Maroon, MD Trina Peduzzi, MD Tyra Bryant-Stephens, Director, Community Asthma Prevention Program, Children’s Hospital on Philadelphia Walter Tsou, MD, MPH Rhode Island South Dakota |
Texas Austin Physicians for Social Responsibility Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin |
Resource Categories
Type Statement/Policy
Topic Aging Cardiovascular disease Children and youth Drought Flooding Heat Wave Infectious disease Injury Respiratory health Social Vulnerablility and Hazards
Region US