Climate Change

Introduction

Climate change is the result of the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels for energy and other human activities. These gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, warm and alter the global climate, which causes environmental changes to occur that can harm people's health and well-being.

The NIEHS Climate Change and Human Health Program leads and coordinates the institute's efforts to better understand climate change, in order to protect people's health ² .

How does climate change affect human health?

As the climate continues to change, and weather-related events such as floods, hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, and heat waves become more extreme, the risk to human health grows, exacerbating existing health threats and creating new public health challenges around the world.

Although climate change is a global process, its direct and indirect health effects are local and can profoundly affect communities. It can affect people's health and well-being in many ways, some of which are already occurring ³ , by:

• Increasing the frequency and severity of heat waves, leading to more heat-related illnesses and deaths.
• Changing the range of disease-carrying insects, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas that transmit West Nile Virus, dengue fever, Lyme disease, and malaria to humans.
• Increasing exposure to pollen, due to increased plant growing seasons; molds, due to severe storms; and air pollution, due to increased temperature and humidity, all of which can worsen allergies and other lung diseases, such as asthma.
• Increasing temperatures and causing poor air quality that can affect the heart and worsen cardiovascular disease.
• Increasing flooding events and sea level rise that can contaminate water with harmful bacteria, viruses, and chemicals, causing foodborne and waterborne illnesses.
• Increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, in addition to causing injuries, deaths, illnesses, and effects on mental health from damage to property, loss of loved ones, displacement, and chronic stress.
• Placing added stress on hospital and public health systems, and limiting people's ability to obtain adequate health care during extreme climate events.

NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative

The NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative is an urgent effort to reduce health threats from climate change across the lifespan and build health resilience in individuals, communities, and nations around the world, especially among those at highest risk.

Seven NIH Institutes and Centers are involved. The initiative is led by an executive committee, chaired by the NIEHS director. NIEHS provides the initiative's administrative home.

NIH is uniquely positioned to lead a solutions-focused health research initiative to reduce the health consequences associated with extreme weather events and evolving climate conditions. NIH has a strong history of creating innovative tools, technologies, and data-driven solutions to address global environmental problems.

NIH supports research to understand the direct and indirect health effects of climate change.

Direct Health Effects

• Heat-related illness
• Respiratory disease
• Heart disease
• Food-, water-, and vector-borne diseases
• Injury
• Premature death
• Mental health impacts
• Poor maternal and birth outcomes

Indirect Health Effects

• Chemical releases into environment
• Changes in air, water, food quality and quantity
• Population displacement
• Interruptions to health care
• Infrastructure and supply chain disruption
• Economic impacts – more people living in poverty

Further Reading

Stories from the Environmental Factor (NIEHS newsletter)

• Interventions Needed to Slow Climate-driven Air Pollution, Researchers Note (March 2022)
• Climate Change Spurs Big New Plan for Health Research (January 2022)
• Climate Change and Health Research Drives New NIH-wide Seminar Series (September 2021)
• Climate Change and Health Disparities Take Center Stage (May 2021)
• Earth Day at NIEHS Focuses on Global Health, Renewables (May 2021)
• Role of Environment Featured at National Public Health Conference (December 2020)
• Children’s Vulnerabilities to Changing Climate Explored in Seminar (December 2020)
• Climate Change, COVID-19 a Double Whammy for Vulnerable Populations (November 2020)
• Climate Change Worsens Air Pollution, Extreme Weather, Expert Says (July 2020)

Fact Sheets

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Climate Change and Human Health

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Cambio Climático Y Salud Humana

Additional Resources

• ClimaHealth – The World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are together advancing an integrated program of climate and health sciences and services to protect populations from the health risks of climate change.
• Climate and Health Program – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presents the collaborative work of states, cities, territories, and tribes related to climate change and health. This webpage includes resources for public health professionals.
• Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal – Locate the most relevant scientific literature on the health implications of climate change.
• Climate Change Research – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides scientific information and tools that can be used by communities to tackle the climate crisis effectively, equitably, and sustainably.
• Extreme Weather Collection – This collection presents high-impact research papers, reviews, news articles, podcasts, and other materials published in Environmental Health Perspectives, a scientific journal supported by NIEHS. The focus is on health risks and effects of extreme weather. Environmental health research such as this informs policies related to climate change and communities’ preparations for those changes.
• Heat.gov – This website is the premier source of information regarding heat and health for the nation. It offers interactive maps, weather reports, tips for staying cool, and other data to help you and officials across governments manage heat emergencies.
• The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at HHS – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) considers climate change to be one of the top public health challenges of our time. Read about its mission to protect the health and well-being of people in the United States.
• United States Global Change Research Program – This program, comprised of 13 member agencies, is United States Global Change Research Program to coordinate federal research and investments in understanding the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and their impacts on society. The program prepares and submits to the President and the Congress a quadrennial National Climate Assessment.

Related Health Topics

• Weather Extremes – NIEHS has resources related to extreme storms, heat, and cold, which can harm human health.