THE GORDON WILSON LECTURE: CLIMATE, HEALTH, AND EQUITY: THE CASE FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION FROM THE HEALTH SYSTEM.

Abstract

The rapid and unprecedented climate changes driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions present a critical challenge for society today. However, the link between climate change and health remains inadequately explored in both literature and policy discussions. Thousands of individuals die each year in the United States due to climate-related factors, including extreme temperatures, severe weather, air pollution, and vector-borne diseases, and these health impacts disproportionately affect already vulnerable populations. Climate change is not just an environmental concern but also an imminent threat to individual and population health, as well as a major challenge to health equity. Moreover, the health sector significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing their roles as health care providers and contributors to the climate crisis, clinicians and health professionals have a moral obligation to emphasize the profound significance of climate impacts on human health and equity. This lecture provides an overview of efforts by the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and others to address the intersection of climate change and health, with an aim to raise awareness about the immediate threats to patient health and to build a proactive path forward for the health sector. The health sector must unite to collectively tackle these challenges, safeguard patient well-being, and promote the common good in the face of climate-induced health crises.