Climate, Environmental Health Vulnerability, and Physical Planning

Abstract

Climate change is expected to alter human health in important ways, with significant regional variations. To understand these effects, I review the climate change health forecasting literature and connect it to planning. I find that this literature indicates that local contexts deeply influence health outcomes, with implications for planning practice. However, this literature is fragmented by place and topic and prevents planners from anticipating the cumulative impacts on individuals and places. Future research should consider physical environment, socioeconomic and political characteristics, and interactions with health effects, to present a comprehensive understanding of the health effects of climate change.