Oral

Current and projected public health impacts associated with global climate change are well documented and very serious. Death and injury from natural disasters, heat-related illness, pest and water-borne diseases, malnutrition, and air and water pollution will affect individuals and communities across the United States and around the world. Children, the poor, the elderly, and anyone with a weak or impaired immune system are likely to be most vulnerable. The American Public Health Association has often adopted a forward-looking, precautionary approach to credible threats to public health and vulnerable populations, particularly in areas where the Association’s member expertise allows it to raise public awareness around the specific nature and character of the threat to public health (the effects of lead on pediatric neurological development, for example). This precautionary bias is especially relevant where timely and effective policy change could substantially mitigate the worst effects of the expected adverse outcome. The proposed session is intended to allow scientific experts and senior policy stakeholders to present their ideas and recommendations to APHA members and leaders on the difficult question of how APHA can effectively influence public policy around global climate change and the need for U.S. leadership and a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The session will allow APHA members to engage senior stakeholders in an open dialogue to discuss policy options, costs, impacts on public health, and the role of the Association in articulating and explaining new and emerging evidence of the expected changes in global climate associated with anthropogenic activities.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify the public health impacts associated with changes in global climate. 2. Describe opportunities for public health education on climate change 3. Describe the roles of public health adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation for primary prevention of health impacts of climate change

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing