NYS Strategies to Address Climate
Change and Protect Health
Build Resilience, Protect Health
Jan E. Storm PhD
Center for Environmental Health
jes19@health.state.ny.us
2
STAKEHOLDERS
(LOCAL, STATE)
Derived
From:
“Building
Resilience
Against
Climate
Effects”
Step 1
Forecast Impacts,
Assess Vulnerabilities
Step 5
Step 4
Evaluate Impact,
Improve Quality
of Activities
Step 2
Develop Climate &
Health Adaptation
Plan
Project Disease
Burden
Step 3
Assess Public Health
Interventions
IMPLEMENT CLIMATE &
HEALTH ADAPTATION PLAN
(LOCAL, STATE)
3
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/67778.html
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/80930.html
http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/climaid
4
STATE-WIDE CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTS
Health Impacts of Climate Change
• 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
5
STATE-WIDE CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTS
CAP/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
6
CDC-NYSDOH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
“Developing Public Health Capacity and Adaptations
to Reduce Human Health Effects of Climate Change”
• Assessment and Planning to Develop Climate Change
Programs, 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
7
NYS DOH RESEARCH
Building Evidence to Support Planning, Adaptation, and Interventions
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)
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.
8
NYS DOH RESEARCH
Building Evidence to Support Planning, Adaptation, and Interventions
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
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
9
NYS DOH RESEARCH
Building Evidence to Support Planning, Adaptation, and Interventions
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
10
NYS PREVENTION AGENDA
Promote a Healthy and Safe Environment
http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/prevention_agenda/2013-2017/
11
PROMOTE A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Air Quality
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
12
PROMOTE A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Water Quality
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 systems
Objective 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
13
PROMOTE A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Built Environment
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
14
NYS DOH OFFICE OF HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Health Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan (HEPRP)
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
Commissioner
Office of Public
Health
Office of Health
Emergency
Preparedness
15
NYS DEC OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Smart Communities
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/65494.html
16
NYS DEC OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Smart Communities
17
NYS DEC OFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate 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
18
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
19
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
21
Contact Information and Additional Resources
•
Jan E. Storm PhD
Center for Environmental Health
jes19@health.state.ny.us
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
22