Sustainability, climate resilience, and health: Case studies from the department of health and human services

Executive Order 13514 “"Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance” instructs each Federal agency to develop detailed sustainability plans aimed at reducing energy consumption and environmental wastes, to conduct a climate change vulnerability assessment for the agency, and to develop a climate change adaptation plan. Initial agency adaptation plans were released for public comment in February, 2013. The Department of Health and Human Services recognizes that sustainability initiatives can have significant benefits for health by reducing exposures to toxic pollutants as well as by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thereby limiting the extent of global climate change, with its attendant health risks. Experiences with extreme weather disasters like Hurricanes Irene, Katrina and Sandy among others have also exposed the vulnerability of biomedical research and health care infrastructure, which will increase in a future of increasing climate change. To address these inter-related challenges, the Department of Health and Human Services has brought together sustainability and facilities experts with climate change and health experts to develop an integrated strategy for Sustainability and Climate Resilience. This presentation will describe initial pilot projects at HHS agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, to develop integrated vulnerability assessments and sustainability and adaptation plans. It will describe guidance on infrastructure advancements that lead to improved sustainability and climate resilience, research agendas to increase knowledge of the connections between sustainability measures, climate resilience and human health, and public health interventions to achieve integrated sustainability and climate resilience goals.