Issue: Climate & Health

COP28 begins in Dubai today during what will likely be the hottest year on record. Notably, it’s also the first time in the conference’s history that health will play a central theme, which speaks to how far we’ve come in bridging the climate and health worlds compared to just a few years ago, thanks to advocacy efforts across the movement and a rapidly growing body of research making the connection evident.
Health-related impacts of climate change have become impossible to overlook—from heat stroke, to climate anxiety, to air pollution from fossil fuel facilities, and they all disproportionately impact BIPOC and frontline communities. The Lancet Countdown recently published a new report highlighting how the alarming health risks are only getting worse due to continued global inaction, and even Billboard has begun keeping track of major concerts disrupted by extreme weather and its health impacts across the world.
Now more than ever, health is a relevant, compelling angle in engaging the public on climate change, and health professionals are uniquely positioned to leverage their trusted voices for climate action. So this week, we’re sharing insights from the Lab’s Climate & Health Peer Learning Circle (one completed early 2023, and the other currently in progress!) which provides cohorts of health professionals with the necessary training to effectively engage their colleagues and the public on climate.