Climate and Health

CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENS HEALTH

The changing climate has many potential impacts on health which will intensify as the climate crisis worsens. Impacts from climate change such as rising sea levels, increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and rising temperatures threaten our health in many ways. These impacts endanger our food and water sources, our air quality, our ability to respond to disasters, and many other aspects of public health. Health threats from climate change are widespread but may affect some areas and populations more than others. Because of its geographic location, Hawaii has some unique risks to public health as a result of climate change.

Graphic: CDC Climate and Health Program

For more information on how climate change affects health, please read the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) Climate and Health Assessment 2016 and visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Climate and Health website. Additional information can be found in the “Climate and Health links by category” section below.

HEER Office Information on Climate Change

Risks of Sea Level Rise and Increased Flooding on Known Chemical Contamination in Hawaii-June 21, 2021
This memorandum aims to describe how increased flooding, ground water inundation and sea level rise resulting from climate change will increase risks to human health and the environment from chemical contamination.

Public Comments: The following comments have been submitted on the June 21, 2022, HEER Office memorandum on the risks of sea level rise to contaminated sites in Hawai’i. Stakeholder workgroups are planned to discuss specific topics and develop strategies for long-term management of areas of contaminated soil, sediment and groundwater in coastal potentially affected coastal areas. Additional comments and ideas are welcome at any time and should be submitted to Diana Felton ([email protected]) and Roger Brewer ([email protected]).

Maps in iHEER
For a map view of sites that are within the flooding exposure area from a 3.2 foot sea level rise and a 1% flood risk with a 3.2 foot sea level rise, go to the iHEER Viewer, Sites tab, and type in “SLR 3.2ft Flooding” or “1% flood risk with SLR 3.2ft”.

HEPCRA Facilities
Tier II Facilities may also be affected by SLR.

Presentations
-HEER’s Toxicologist Dr. Diana Felton presents Climate Change & Chemical Contamination June 22, 2022

– HEER Intern Martina Segura presentation slides on identifying HEER sites at risk for sea level rise impacts May 20,2021
– HEER’s Toxicologist Dr. Diana Felton talks Climate Change and Mental Health in an April 2021 Presentation to the Hawaii State Rural Health Association’s Project ECHO.

– Informational Briefing
HEER Office Toxicologist Dr. Diana Felton and JABSOM professor Dr. Elizabeth Kiefer gave an informational briefing on climate change and human health in Hawaii to the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection on December 21, 2022.