It’s Thursday, September 2, and the Biden administration is opening the first federal office to treat climate change like a public health crisis.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced this week it is creating a new federal office to address the public health risks of climate change and protect communities that disproportionately bear the brunt of climate-related health impacts.
As the health risks of extreme heat waves, drought, pollution, and supercharged hurricanes become increasingly evident, the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity will identify communities that shoulder a disproportionate share of climate hazards, tackle health disparities exacerbated by climate change, and assist with regulatory efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions throughout the health care sector.
The move stems from an executive order issued by President Joe Biden in January, which outlined the need to combat the climate crisis on several fronts. In December, public health experts warned that rising temperatures and environmental pollution are already endangering the health of Americans, particularly among older generations and communities of color.
“The consequences for our inaction are real and worsening,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “We’ve always known that health is at the center of climate change, and now we’re going to double-down on a necessity: fighting climate change in order to help protect public health in our communities.”
The Smog
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