Communities, Climate Change, and Health Equity: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

Excerpt

As the effects of climate change become more widespread and significant, communities least able to respond are bearing the largest burden. In the United States, communities disadvantaged by a legacy of racial segregation and environmental injustice struggle with disparate health outcomes, are vulnerable to the effects of climate change (e.g., severe flooding in low-lying areas and extreme heat in urban neighborhoods), and lack sufficient resources to recover from and rebuild for resilience against future events. On October 12 and 14, 2021, the 2-day virtual workshop “Communities, Climate Change, and Health Equity - A New Vision” brought together environmental health experts, resilience practitioners, climate scientists, and people with lived experience to discuss the disproportionate impact of climate change on communities experiencing health disparities and environmental injustice. During the workshop, the first in a four-part series, 41 speakers shared their perspectives on the topic and suggested specific actions that decision-makers can take to address the intersecting crises of climate change and health inequity. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.