Natalie SchneiderClimate Change & Sustainability Coordinator, Palm Beach County

September 18, 2015

Climate Change – Human Health Considerations

Palm Beach County Medical Society

Building Community Resilience by addressing

environmental sustainability and climate change considerations

in its programs and services.

Commitment and Leadership

Climate change – the planet is warming, and over the last half century, this warming has been driven primarily by human activity—predominantly the burning of fossil fuels

Climate Resiliency – implementing adaptive measures to reduce a community’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.

Sustainability – ensuring we have and will continue to have the water, materials, and resources to protect human health and our environment.

What are we talking about?

Human healthAgriculture and food securityWater supplyEcosystems and the environmentTransportationEnergy

Impacts on Society

Flooding in Deer Run due to Tropical Storm Isaac

2012

Threats to Southeast FloridaImpacts to public and private infrastructureImpacts on water suppliesCompromised natural

systems

Genesis of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact

Shared recognition of regional vulnerabilities and challenges Low-lying coastal community Environment and economy

shaped by water Common airshed, watershed,

climate, and natural resources Regional transportation system Concurrent, but uncoordinated

efforts

ChallengesNeed to understand Impacts: Rate of sea level rise Changes in precipitation patterns Temperatures increases

Need to operate in multiple timeframes: Immediate: Compact Action Items Long Term: Compact projections

Need to both adapt and mitigate: Adapt: accommodate, retreat or protect Mitigate: reduce greenhouse gasses and their production

Need to promote education and awareness: Multiple departments and agencies Multiple local governments Multiple stakeholders

Unified SLR Projection

Impacts on Human Health

SE Florida Regional Climate Action Plan Health Impact Assessment Completed March 2014 Produced by Florida Public

Health Institute (support from Urban Health Solutions, Broward County and the SEFRCCC)

Focus on 110 recommendations from the RCAP relating to SLR and heat waves and how would impact human health

Download at www.southeastfloridaclimatecompact.org

What we are doing Regional Workshops

Stormwater Management Transportation State/Regional Collaborations Resilient Redesign – Round II

Compact Working Groups SLR Projection Shoreline Resilience Compact Structure Climate Indicators Municipal Workgroup GHG Emissions Inventory

Partnership with Florida Climate Institute

2015 Summit hosted by Monroe County

12

Inform colleagues and the wider communitySet an exampleAdvocateSeek innovative approaches

What can Health Professionals do

Sun Sentinel

SEFRCCC – Regional Climate Action Plan – Health Impact Assessmenthttp://southeastfloridaclimatecompact.org

WHO - Training course for public health professionals on protecting our health from climate changehttp://www.who.int/globalchange/training/

health_professionals/en/National Climate Assessment – Human Health

Chapterhttp://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/sectors/

human-health

Questions/Resources