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Africa’s Climate Crisis Is a Health Crisis by Yacine Djibo
Africans are facing increased but underappreciated risks to their health as a result of rising temperatures and changing climatic conditions. And since many of these new threats cannot simply be managed with “climate adaptation,” policymakers must get ahead of them now. DAKAR – The planet is losing its ability to support life as we know it, and nowhere is this clearer than in Africa – the continent that is most vulnerable to climate change despite having contributed the least to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse-gas emissions. Beyond the increasingly frequent extreme weather, Africans are also facing increased risks to their health. As World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted just before…
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Essential hospitals can lead a holistic approach to climate and health
Health care systems are on the front lines of the climate crisis — anchoring disaster response while coping with growing health impacts from heatwaves, wildfires and other weather-related threats. Hardest hit are America’s essential hospitals, which care for the nation’s most climate-vulnerable patients. Within this challenge lies an opportunity. Given their stature in the most-impacted communities, essential hospitals could lead a holistic approach to climate and health. But in a time of strained resources and unrelenting demand, most lack the capacity to do so. With more federal funding, essential hospitals could improve health, equity and climate resilience in the most vulnerable communities. The need for resilience is clear: climate change…
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Not all plant-based diets are equal…for health or climate
Meat-heavy diets are deleterious for human health and the environment—a fact that’s now been established by many studies. But new research reveals that there can also be large differences in the health and planetary effects of plant-based diets. Several studies have paired up the health and environmental impacts of national diets to home in on foods that score well on both fronts. But the new Lancet Planetary Health research provides uniquely concrete insights on the issue, because it draws on real dietary records from a massive national survey of over 90,000 American nurses, whose diets and health were then tracked for almost 30 years. Starting in 1991, the survey data…
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Environmental Health Coalition advances transit solutions to benefit community, climate
In vibrant and thriving communities, people have the power and resources to realize their vision of health and well-being. However, our opportunity to thrive – as individuals, families, communities and as a country – is in danger because of the increasing instability of our climate. This hurts some of us much more than others. Policies and practices put in place over generations – and choices still being made today – put Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income communities at greater risk. But within this challenge lies opportunity. Across the country, communities that have historically borne the brunt of environmental harms are harnessing their power to shape…
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Conference aims to educate public on environmental health, climate change
Dogwood Alliance and Science for Georgia came together Thursday to host the first Environmental Health and Climate Protection conference. MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Dogwood Alliance and Science for Georgia came together Thursday to host the first Environmental Health and Climate Protection conference. The organizations want to share ideas that will make an impact. Amy Sharma, PhD, the Executive Director for Science for Georgia, says it was interesting to hear diverse perspectives on environmental issues and climate change. “I’ve already had two speakers email me asking for the contact information of the other speakers,” she said. “We all need to get together. The more we share our ideas across disciplines and…