As we approach the end of the year, our team is reflecting on the incredible work we’ve accomplished, relationships we’ve built, and strides we’ve made together in advancing evidence and action on climate and health, both close to home in Connecticut and around the country and the world.
From driving research that highlights the health impacts of the climate crisis, to building resilience alongside community partners, to educating the next generation of climate-health leaders, we’ve made great progress. But the work doesn’t end here—in fact, we need your help more than ever. As the year comes to a close, please consider making a donation to support the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health.
The road ahead is challenging but filled with opportunity. With support from our dedicated partners and donors, the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health will continue to work towards a world in which the health benefits of climate action are fully realized for all people.
With gratitude,
The YCCCH Team
Climate and health highlights from COP29
This year, YCCCH proudly took an active role at COP29, contributing to the critical discussions on climate change and human health and reflecting our commitment to advancing solutions on a global scale.
Last month, the World Health Organization released its COP29 special report on climate change and health. Among the 300 experts who contributed to the report were Dr. Jeannette Ickovics, Director of YCCCH’s Program on Climate Change and Urban Health, and Cristina Arnés Sanz, MPH Candidate and YCCCH Fellow. This report stresses the importance of positioning health at the core of all climate negotiations, strategies, policies, and action plans to save lives and secure healthier futures for present and future generations.
The Lancet Commission on Sustainable Healthcare (LCSH), co-led by Dr. Jodi Sherman, Director of YCCCH’s Program on Health Care Environmental Sustainability, hosted a panel on November 21 at the WHO Health Pavilion. This panel featured LCSH members Iris Blom of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Marina Romanello, Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown; YCCCH advisory board member Nick Watts, Director of National University of Singapore Centre for Sustainable Medicine; and Fawzia Rasheed, Senior Advisor for Aga Khan Health Services. Panelists discussed the challenge of addressing greenwashing in health care systems and how to hold countries accountable for their COP26 health commitments by identifying, applying, and evaluating relevant indicators of progress. Nationally Determined Contributions, measures integral to the IPCC process, were also covered.
Recordings are available for events held at the WHO Health Pavilion.
New short course on climate change and mental health
The Yale Center on Climate Change and Health is launching a new online short course
entitled “Climate Change and Mental Health – Essential Skills for Mental Health and Primary Care Providers.” This 3-session course, open to any qualified person in the world, will enable participants to develop actionable knowledge and skills needed to provide psychiatric and psychological treatment and therapeutic support for patients in the context of climate change. Participants will learn to 1) explain how climate change affects mental health and its treatment; 2) address the emotional impacts of the climate change crisis and related disasters with appropriate therapies; and 3) explore the role of mental health and primary care providers in preventing and mitigating climate impacts and promoting resilience. The course will begin on January 29, 2025. Visit the
course website to learn more and register here by January 15, 2025.
Reach out to ccmh@yale.edu with any additional questions.
Dr. Kai Chen appointed President-Elect of AGU GeoHealth section
Dr. Kai Chen, YCCCH’s Co-Faculty Director, has been elected as the new President-Elect of the GeoHealth section at the American Geophysical Union (AGU). AGU represents a global community of 60,000 members in Earth and space sciences. The GeoHealth section, one of AGU’s newer divisions, aims to nurture transdisciplinary collaborations and advance our understanding of the complex interactions between our geospheric environment and human health. Dr. Chen also contributes as Editor of AGU's dedicated journal, GeoHealth.
As described in a recent article from Yale Daily News, the Lancet Countdown's latest report
highlights the alarming reality that global temperatures are still nearing 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, with climate-related health risks reaching record highs. Despite falling emissions in most sectors, health care emissions continue to rise, contributing significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating climate-related health impacts, underscoring the immediate need for comprehensive climate action, especially for those who are disproportionately impacted.
New framework to guide ethical funding in climate-health research
Should climate and health researchers accept funding from industries tied to climate-damaging activities? This recent publication in The Lancet Planetary Health describes difficult decisions researchers face when considering funding from industries linked to high carbon emissions. The authors, including Cristina Arnés Sanz, MPH Candidate and YCCCH Fellow, propose a new framework of six guiding principles, including transparency, independence, and alignment with public health goals, to help researchers navigate this ethical challenge.
Submit project proposals for the 2025 YCCCH Summer Internship Program
The Yale Center on Climate Change and Health is seeking project proposals from organizations for its annual Internship Program. These projects should focus on the critical intersection of climate change and health. A Yale student will complete the selected project during a full-time internship during summer 2025. If your organization is interested in hosting a summer intern, please submit your proposal via this Qualtrics form.
Climate and Health Job Board
Project Manager – Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (New York, NY)
Multiple positions – WE ACT for Environmental Justice (New York, NY and Washington D.C.)
Events in Climate Change and Health
Yale Events:
Toolkit for Municipal Extreme Heat & Air Quality Response Planning in Connecticut
Friday, December 6, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET
Virtual
Join us for an informative webinar on a new toolkit for local heat and air quality response planning in Connecticut. This session is designed for local health departments and municipal leaders committed to enhancing community resilience in the face of climate change. We also warmly welcome anyone interested in this vital topic, including community members, advocacy groups, press, and public health enthusiasts.
During this webinar, we will explore the Toolkit for Municipal Extreme Heat & Air Quality Response Planning in Connecticut, a set of resources developed by the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and with input from local health departments in CT.
Climate Change and Health Seminar with Dr. Lara Cushing, "Inequality & the Environment: Moving from Science to Action that Advances Climate Justice and Health Equity"
Monday, December 9, 2024 | 12:00 – 12:50 p.m. ET
LEPH 115, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06510 or Virtual
Lara J. Cushing’s research focuses on the racial justice implications of disparities in exposure to environmental health hazards in the U.S. She has assessed the health consequences of environmental and climate-related exposures for pregnant women and infants, and used epidemiological and geospatial methods to investigate questions of environmental justice in the context of urban greenspace, man-made chemicals, oil and gas development, drinking water quality, extreme heat and sea level rise. She is interested in analytical methods and regulatory frameworks to characterize the joint effects of environmental and social stressors to health that can inform efforts to reduce environmental health disparities and often partners with community-based organizations in her work. She was a contributing author to the Fourth Assessment of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a former Environmental Fellow of the Robert & Patricia Switzer
Foundation, and JPB Environmental Health Fellow through the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Prior to coming to UCLA, she served on the faculty at San Francisco State University from 2016-2020.
Registration is required. Yale affiliates are welcome to join us in person at LEPH 115, 60 College Street. All others may stream the event via Zoom.
Other Events:
COP29 and Health: What happened? What did it mean? Where do we go from here?
Tuesday, December 17, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. ET
Virtual
Join Global Climate and Health Alliance and guest speakers for a deep dive into the outcomes of COP29, including policy outcomes across different negotiation streams, and their implications for health. Register for the meeting.
External Resources and Opportunities
Apply for the University of Colorado's Diploma in Climate Medicine
The University of Colorado School of Medicine is proud to offer a comprehensive professional development program for health care providers. This program trains leaders to advocate for climate-resilient, patient-centered policies that serve diverse communities and systems. Learn more on the course website.
Abstract submissions: Join for MS4SF Climate Health Equity Day 2025
Medical Students for a Sustainable Future (MS4SF) is excited to announce its annual “Climate Health Equity Day: Our Patients, Our Planet, Our Future” on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, or online via Zoom. Visit the conference home page for additional details.
Call for Applications: Climate & Health Education Student Fellowship 2025-2026
The Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) at Columbia University is launching its Climate and Health Education Student Fellowship for the 2025-26 cycle. This 1-year program aims to empower the next generation of health professionals to lead on climate and health issues. For more details, visit the website and apply by January 15, 2025.
NOAA seeking nominations for first-ever Climate Services Advisory Committee
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking nominations for its first-ever Climate Services Advisory Committee (CSAC). The CSAC will advise NOAA on the accessibility and effectiveness of NOAA's climate services in preparing our nation for the impacts of climate change. Nominations are due by December 20, 2024.
