New Federal Report Highlights Urgent Need for Climate Action
Washington, D.C. (November 23, 2018)— A federal climate change assessment report released today by the U.S. Global Change Research Program finds that climate change is currently harming the health of Americans today. The report, the Fourth National Climate Assessment, is an assessment of climate change impacts across the U.S. and expands on the Climate Science Special Report released in 2017. In response to the report release the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments’ Executive Director, Katie Huffling, MS, RN, CNM issued the following statement:
“The Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) reiterates the dangers that climate change poses to human health and the need for bold and immediate action to protect public health. NNCA4 shows that human-caused climate change is makes heatwaves more frequent, storms more damaging, and wildfires more likely, in addition to numerous other health threats. Those who are already most vulnerable, such as low-income communities and some communities of color, will bear the greatest burden from these threats. These impacts are all too real for communities suffering with catastrophic wildfires in California and those still recovering from the destructive hurricanes this year in the Southeast.
“Fortunately, NCA4 emphasizes the opportunity for the United States to protect the health of the public by taking action to address climate change. The report shows that by reducing greenhouse gas emissions now, by the turn of the century thousands of lives could be saved and hundreds of billions of dollars in health-related economic benefits realized every year.”
“As the most comprehensive report of climate change impacts in the United States, the Trump Administration, state, and local governments must heed the science and implement solutions now to address climate change to protect the health of all Americans. Rolling back policies to address climate change, as the Trump administration has done, recklessly puts the health and lives of all Americans at risk.”
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The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments is the only national nursing organization focused solely on the intersection of health and the environment. The mission of the Alliance is to promote healthy people and healthy environments by educating and leading the nursing profession, advancing research, incorporating evidence-based practice, and influencing policy.
Cara Cook, MS, RN, AHN-BC
Climate Change Program Coordinator
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
585.469.2383
Maryland United for Peace and Justice 