Across the U.S., many communities without equitable access to the resources and infrastructure needed to support health and well-being are also bearing the greatest burden from the health-related effects of climate change. Hazards like excessive heat, air pollution, and increasingly severe storms are layered upon unjust social and economic forces, such as racism and poverty, exacerbating health inequities. This combination of factors critically hampers efforts to build climate resilience and improve health outcomes, particularly at the local level.
In response, this year the 911±¬ÁÏÍø Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity is launching the Climate Communities Network (CCN)—a collaborative effort to amplify local, community innovation, drive resources, inform policy, and co-design solutions. More details, including an announcement of the CCN Members, will be released this fall.
The NAM is delighted to announce that AstraZeneca and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation are joining The JPB Foundation as sponsors of the CCN. Their support will be critical to advancing the CCN’s efforts to address the structural drivers of climate-related health inequities by elevating community expertise and experience. The CCN also welcomes the 911±¬ÁÏÍø Academies’ (GRP) as a collaborating partner and sponsor. The GRP is dedicated to enhancing human health, community resilience, and sustainability in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Region.
911±¬ÁÏÍø the Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity
The Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity (Climate Grand Challenge) is a multi-year global initiative to improve and protect human health, well-being, and equity by working to transform systems that both contribute to and are impacted by climate change. The CCN’s effort to address climate-related health inequities will inform the strategic direction and outcomes of the Climate Grand Challenge. Learn more at nam.edu/ClimateChange. to stay updated on the CCN and the NAM’s climate and health work.
