NYS Strategies to Address Climate Change and Protect Health

Build Resilience, Protect Health

Jan E. Storm PhDCenter for Environmental Healthjes19@health.state.ny.us

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Step 4 Develop Climate & Health Adaptation

Plan

Step 1 Forecast Impacts,

Assess Vulnerabilities

Step 2 Project Disease

Burden

Step 3 Assess Public Health

Interventions

Step 5 Evaluate Impact, Improve Quality

of Activities

STAKEHOLDERS(LOCAL, STATE)

IMPLEMENT CLIMATE & HEALTH ADAPTATION PLAN

(LOCAL, STATE)

DerivedFrom:“Building Resilience Against Climate Effects”

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http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/67778.html

http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/80930.html

http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/climaid

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STATE-WIDE CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTSHealth Impacts of Climate Change

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• Increasing temperature – Heat related mortality, morbidity

• Increased frequency, magnitude of extreme weather events, flooding, power outages– Increased stress, mental health impacts, respiratory &

gastrointestinal disease, injuries; impaired provision of health services

• Worsening air quality– increased cardiovascular, respiratory morbidity, mortality

• Altered drinking and recreational water quality – Increased water-borne diseases

• Ecosystem changes – Increased vector, food-borne diseases

• Altered food production - food shortages

• Sea level rise, severe coastal flooding, storm damage, erosion – Risk to sewage and septic systems, transportation, water treatment

infrastructure

STATE-WIDE CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTSCAP/CLIMAID - Recommended Public Health Adaptations

• Educate, empower engage policy makers (state and local), community leaders, businesses, institutions, health-care providers, general public (i.e., all New Yorker’s) about health impact of climate change

• Research and assess public health risks from climate change (including sea level rise), climate change and health indicators, and adaptation strategies; identify and address vulnerable populations

• Consider impacts of climate change (including sea level rise) on health in planning, programs, policies, regulations

• Increase resilience of communities by providing additional support for healthy built environment concepts, smart growth, green infrastructure, local/urban agriculture

• Assess, improve capacity of existing public health preparedness, response, recovery programs to respond and direct resource where needed

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CDC-NYSDOH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT“Developing Public Health Capacity and Adaptations to Reduce Human Health Effects of Climate Change”

• Assessment and Planning to Develop Climate ChangePrograms, 2010-2013

• Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE), 2013-2016• Evaluating climate-health indicators for planning, monitoring• Completed needs assessments and surveys

− DOH leaders, program & surveillance managers, LHDs, stakeholders• LHD survey key takeaways:

− Climate change and health viewed as issue of huge scale and scope with need for direction (e.g., what to prioritize, where to begin)

− Most-frequently cited barriers to addressing climate change were lack of funding, lack of staff, and lack of education/training

− Partnership opportunities between NYSDOH and LHDs include educational efforts, and using local adaptation/mitigation activities as case studies

• NYSDOH Climate and Health Adaptation Plan process to begin May/June 2013; completion of plan in August 2013

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Climate Variability/Change and the Risks for Under-Studied Adverse Health Outcomes (CDC)• Identify diseases related to

various weather factors/climate change indicators

• Assess public health implications (health care costs, absences from school, work)

• Evaluate interaction among weather factors, air pollutants, health outcomes

• Assess vulnerable populations• Evaluate utility, efficacy of

composite weather indicators • Establish climate-health tracking

system and develop public communication/education strategies (EPHT)

NYS DOH RESEARCHBuilding Evidence to Support Planning, Adaptation, and Interventions

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Citation: Lin S, Hsu WH, Van Zutphen AR, Saha S, Luber G, Hwang SA. Excessive heat and respiratory hospitalizations in New York State: estimating current and future public health burden related to climate change. Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Nov;120(11):1571-7.

Climate Change and Adverse Birth Outcomes (NIH)• Assess associations between extreme weather indicators

during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes• Evaluate geographic variation• Evaluate modification by air pollution• Assess associations with maternal vulnerability (chronic

disease, medications, low SES, etc.)• Map vulnerability• Forecast birth outcome burden of climate change

NYS DOH RESEARCHBuilding Evidence to Support Planning, Adaptation, and Interventions

Citation: Van Zutphen AR, Lin S, Fletcher BA, Hwang SA. A population-based case-control study of extreme summer temperature and birth defects in New York State. Environmental Health Perspectives. Online ahead of print 27 Jun 2012

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Population vulnerability to Climate Change in NYS and Adaptation Strategies (NYSERDA)• Map vulnerabilities to heat;

health risks, individual sensitivity and community characteristics

• Project future vulnerabilities

• Assess adequacy, accessibility of NYS cooling centers; public awareness of heat warning systems, cooling centers

• Develop adaptation strategies for vulnerable areas, populations

NYS DOH RESEARCHBuilding Evidence to Support Planning, Adaptation, and Interventions

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NYS PREVENTION AGENDAPromote a Healthy and Safe Environment

http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/prevention_agenda/2013-2017/11

Goal #1: Reduce exposure to outdoor air pollutants with a particular focus on burdened communities

Objective 1d: Coordinate efforts to reduce emissions of harmful co-pollutants with efforts to reduce GHG or carbon emissions

Example Interventions to be Considered• Coordinate activities addressing climate change

mitigation through reduction of GHG emissions with regulatory activities to reduce emissions of other harmful co-pollutants

• Incorporate information on vulnerability to climate change in identification of Environmental Justice communities for targeting climate adaptation measures

PROMOTE A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTAir Quality

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Goal #2: Reduce potential public health risks associated with drinking and recreational water

Objective 2b: Upgrade physical infrastructure (source, treatment, and delivery systems) in 15% of community water systemsObjective 2d: Develop strategies to address water quantity and quality challenges posed by land use and climate change

Example Interventions to be Considered• Educate elected officials about need for asset management at community

water systems to ensure long-term sustainability of infrastructure• Fund infrastructure upgrades; create fiscal incentives for local governments to

update aging infrastructure• Promote or require long-range local planning for the long-term sustainability of

water utilities infrastructure• Perform research to quantify projected impacts of climate change on water

quantity and quality

PROMOTE A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTWater Quality

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Goal #1 – Improve design and maintenance of the built environment to promote healthy lifestyles, sustainability and adaptation to climate change

Objective 1a: Increase percentage of the population that lives in a jurisdiction that adopted the Climate Smart Communities pledge

Objective 1h: Reduce health impacts associated with extreme weather incidents, especially among vulnerable populations

Example Interventions to be Considered• Develop education, outreach materials on the impact of the built environment

and climate change on health• Provide expanded emergency services for vulnerable populations during extreme

weather incidents• provide accessible, neighborhood cooling centers • provide incentives for sustainable and climate smart planning, zoning and

development, including transportation • promote progressive codes and incentives for ‘green buildings’ • explore penalties for carbon-promoting, unsustainable building

PROMOTE A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTBuilt Environment

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NYS DOH• Coordinates with local responders, authorities, provides guidance; support for public health response• Provides coordination, guidance, support to local health, healthcare to re-establish health care systems• Helps to coordinate, support local evacuation of victims/residents• Provides subject matter expertise• Complies with NYS CEMP• HEPRP IMS Annex I Appendix 7 – Extreme Weather Planning and

Response Guide• forecasts impacts, assesses vulnerabilities (heat waves,

frequent/heavy precipitation, etc.)• Identifies, assesses public health interventions

Local Government, Emergency Services• First line of defense in health emergencies• Counties must have a Public Health Emergency Preparedness

and Response Plan (PHEPRP)• Extreme Weather Planning and Response Guide to be required

as part of PHEPRP

NYS DOH OFFICE OF HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESSHealth Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan (HEPRP)

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Commissioner

Office of Public Health

Office of Health Emergency

Preparedness

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NYS DEC OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGEClimate Smart Communities

http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/65494.html

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NYS DEC OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGEClimate Smart Communities

CSC Certification Program – under development

Pledge Element 7: Plan for Adaptation to Unavoidable Climate Change

• Commit to Enhancing Resilience• Conduct Vulnerability Assessment• Establish an Ongoing Monitoring Program• Develop a Climate Adaptation Plan• Incorporate Climate Change Projections and Vulnerabilities into Local Plans

and Projects• Use Planning and Zoning tools to Manage Risks and Protect Vulnerable

Areas• Create a Climate Change Adaptation Education and Outreach Program• Update Infrastructure and Design New Infrastructure to Increase Resilience

to Climate Change Impacts

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NYS DEC OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGEClimate Smart Communities

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NYSERDA

Cleaner, Greener Communities Program• Focus on resiliency• Community-wide regional planning• Phase 1

• $10 million for comprehensive sustainability plans

• Led by a municipality in each Regional Economic Council region

• Phase 2• $90 million toward regional

projects

New York Climate Change Science Clearinghouse• Underway• Compilation of scientific data, literature to

assist NYS in achieving climate change mitigation, adaptation goals

Emergency Preparedness Commissions

http://www.governor.ny.gov/

NACCHO Climate Change Demonstration Sites

• Goal– Increase coordination and communication among local stakeholders to address public

health impacts of climate change – 6 LHD’s – climate-focused strategic plan• Outcomes

– Convened stakeholder groups focused on climate change adaptation– Mapped vulnerable populations and areas– Created local climate change adaptation plans incorporating public health

• http://www.naccho.org/toolbox/• DO:

– Connect with local stakeholders early– Focus on local climate change-related health effects– Tailor focus to stakeholder interests– Set short- and long-term goals to keep

momentum going and stakeholders engaged• DO NOT:

– Plan alone or rely on one leader– Use technical jargon– Rely on national/global information– Confront resistance to or denial of climate change

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Contact Information and Additional Resources

• NYS Climate Action Planning– http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/80930.html

• NYSERDA Cleaner, Greener Communities– http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Statewide-Initiatives/Cleaner-Greener-Communities.aspx

• US EPA Climate Change – Northeast Impacts & Adaptation– http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/northeast.html

• NOAA National Climate Data Center– http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/

• Northeast Regional Climate Center– http://www.nrcc.cornell.edu/page_climatelinks.html

• Climate Access– http://www.climateaccess.org/

• Climate Adaptation Knowledge Exchange– http://www.cakex.org/

• NACCHO– http://www.naccho.org/topics/environmental/climatechange/ccdemosites.cfm

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Jan E. Storm PhDCenter for Environmental Health

jes19@health.state.ny.us