Health Leadership on Climate

Climate Change Threatens Health

PSR Promotes Solutions

Climate change is one of the greatest health threats facing humanity in the 21st century. As worldwide patterns of temperature, precipitation and weather events change, the delicate balance of climate and life is disrupted, with serious impacts on food and agriculture, water sources, and health.

Potentially lethal heat waves, extreme storms and rising sea levels contribute to disease, injury and death. Indirect effects of climate change include droughts, floods, worsening air and water pollution, crop damage, and the spread of pest- and waterborne diseases.

Children, the poor, the elderly, and those with a weak or impaired immune system are especially vulnerable.

Climate change contributes to world crises. Changes in temperature and rainfall, rising sea levels and impacts on agriculture have driven people from their homes, creating “climate refugees.”

Causes and Solutions

Human activities are the primary cause of global warming and climate destabilization. By burning oil and gas to power our homes, industries and transportation systems, we add carbon dioxide, methane and other heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is now higher than at any point in the last 420,000 years.

Fortunately, because our actions accelerate the problem, our actions can also slow climate change. When we reject dirty fossil fuels and turn instead to energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy sources like wind, waves and sun, we create solutions to this existential threat.

That’s why stopping the use of fossil fuels and promoting healthy, clean renewables are the heart of PSR’s climate action.

PSR doctor in scrubs holding "Climate Change" sign

PSR: Educating, Activating Health Professionals

PSR educates health professionals about the health consequences of climate change and mobilizes them to respond. Through our national office in Washington, DC and our network of chapters across the country, we:

  • Provide information on climate-related health threats. See Climate Change Health Effects 101, below.
  • Offer resources on the harms to health from coal-fired power plants, coal ash and fracked gas (methane).
  • Promote the health-supportive value of clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
  • Train and prepare health professionals to speak out – writing letters to the editor and op-eds, providing testimony, and educating their elected officials.
  • Engage health professionals in raising the “health voice” on climate- and health-related policies.

By The Numbers

6

years to avert the worst effects of climate change, according to the IPCC

Climate Crisis

Tell Congress to act now with bold legislation that halts fossil fuel use and transitions to 100% clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency.

22%

of U.S. electricity generation in 2022 was from renewable sources

PSR fights for 100% renewables

By making a rapid transition to 100 percent clean renewable energy systems, we can protect ourselves from one of the greatest threats to health and survival: climate change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Top-10 Facts on Climate Change and Health

Heat: Effects on the Elderly and Other Vulnerable Populations

February 2024

Pamphlet on the health effects of heat by PSR Past President Alan Lockwood, MD, FAAN.

PSR Climate Ambassadors

Advocating for Climate Solutions

Do you have a passion for PSR's mission to protect present and future generations from catastrophic climate change? If so, then you may be interested in becoming a PSR Climate Ambassador.

Learn more

PSR Climate Ambassadors Dr. Alan Lockwood, Sid Gugale, and Autumn Vogel visiting Capitol Hill

Latest Climate News & Actions

Finding hope for our health and climate

PSR’s Environment & Health team reflects on the impact of the election results on our work to advance climate action and health equity, and how PSR plans to fight back.

Read More about Finding hope for our health and climate

Take Action: Protect workers from extreme heat!

OSHA has proposed a rule to protect approximately 36 million workers from extreme heat and its negative health impacts. Health professionals, support the rule by submitting a comment today.

Read More about Take Action: Protect workers from extreme heat!

I-2117 imposes too high a cost on our health; vote no

Op-ed in The Herald by Jonathan Witte, MD, Washington PSR Member, on Washington state’s anti-climate ballot initiative.

Read More about I-2117 imposes too high a cost on our health; vote no

Partner Resources

PSR periodically partners with other organizations to create and share resources on climate change and health. Below, we provide links to recent materials from Partner organizations.

Concerned Health Professionals of New York (CHPNY) created and is the lead writer of the Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking (Unconventional Gas and Oil Extraction). PSR proudly partners with CHPNY to write, edit and disseminate the Compendium.

Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking (Unconventional Gas and Oil Extraction), Eighth edition. A collection of some 2,000 abstracts of and links to medical, scientific and investigative reports about the consequences of oil and gas drilling, fracking, and infrastructure. This unique resource presents evidence that fracking-related activities harm public health, the environment, and the climate; links provide easy access to the source material. 

Through its “Climate for Health” program, ecoAmerica partners with leading U.S. health associations and organizations to make climate change a top national health priority. As part of that partnership, PSR is pleased to share the following resources:

Moving Forward: A Guide for Health Professionals to Build Momentum on Climate Action
Guidance and tools to reduce energy use, to build resilient clinics and health departments, and advocate for climate solutions that prioritize health and equity.

Messaging on the Climate Emergency. PSR partnered with ecoAmerica to present this webinar examining how to convey the severe threats that climate change poses, without driving people into either denial or despair. Watch here.

Let’s Talk Health & Climate. Communication Guidance for Health Professionals. This 2016 ecoAmerica report synthesizes academic research and message testing on climate communications into a practical guide to support meaningful discussion of climate change and health with individuals and groups.

Webinar, Let’s Talk Health & Climate.

Mental Health and our Changing Climate: Impacts, Implications, and Guidance. This ecoAmerica report examines the effects of climate change on the mental health of individuals, communities, and society, with special attention to issues of equity.

Webinar, Mental Health and our Changing Climate.

Additional research reports by ecoAmerica are available here.

The U.S. Climate & Health Alliance network is helping to circulate and promote the U.S. Call to Action on Climate, Health & Equity.

U.S. Call to Action on Climate, Health & Equity. A broad policy action agenda for addressing climate change. It calls on government, business, civil society leaders, elected officials, and candidates for office to recognize climate change as a health emergency and to take action across a wide range of sectors.