Climate Change Adaptation Activities and Needs in US State and Territorial Health Agencies

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Environmental Health
• Climate Change Adaptation

Background:

• Climate change poses significant risks to public health.
• US State and Territorial Health Agencies (S/THAs) play a critical role in climate change adaptation within the health sector.
• Understanding current adaptation activities and needs is essential for targeted support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the climate change adaptation activities and priorities of US S/THAs.
• To identify needs for investments, skills development, and support to enhance health sector capacity.
• To inform strategies for strengthening public health resilience against climate-sensitive health risks.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to S/THA staff in 2021.
• The survey collected data on climate and health programming, activities, needs, and priorities.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey results from 41 S/THAs.

Main Results:

• Nineteen S/THAs reported having federally funded climate and health programs (CHPs).
• S/THAs with CHPs demonstrated greater engagement in climate and health activities compared to those without.
• The most significant concerns identified were non-vector-borne infectious diseases, vector-borne diseases, and extreme heat.

Conclusions:

• S/THAs with established CHPs exhibit substantially greater capacity for climate change adaptation.
• Additional federal and state investments, such as the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) program, are urgently needed.
• Targeted investments are essential to catalyze and sustain health sector capacity for climate adaptation.