Environmental and climate change impact on health: a medical anthropology perspective

Mental health and climate change: tackling invisible injustice

Tackling the Research Challenges of Health and Climate Change

Nurses play essential roles in reducing health problems due to climate change

Left unmitigated, climate change poses a catastrophic risk to human health, requiring an urgent and concerted response from every country. As the home to one fifth of the world's population and the largest emitter of carbon dioxide globally, China's interventions in climate change are of pivotal importance, both to human health and to the planet. Similar to other countries, climate change mitigation and adaptation would bring immense health benefits for China's 1·4 billion people, and building these considerations into any COVID-19 recovery strategy and the detailed pathway to fulfil the 2060 carbon neutrality pledge will ensure it improves human wellbeing, both now and in the future. Decisions made over the coming months and years will establish the course of climate change policy for decades to come. To meet this challenge, Tsinghua University (Beijing, China), partnering with University College London (London, UK) and 17 Chinese and international institutions, has produced the Lancet Countdown China report, focusing at the national level and building on the work of the global Lancet Countdown. Drawing on international methods and frameworks, this report aims to understand and track the links between public health and climate change at the national level. This paper is one part of the Lancet Countdown's broader efforts to develop regional expertise and understanding. Uniquely, the data and results in this report are presented at the provincial level where possible, to facilitate the targeted response strategies for local decision makers. Taken as a whole, the findings of the 23 indicators convey two key messages. The first message is that the health effects from climate change in China are accelerating, posing an unacceptably high amount of health risk if global temperatures continue to rise. Every province is affected, each with its unique health threats, and targeted response strategies should be made accordingly. The effects of climate change, manifested in rising temperatures, more extreme weather events, and shifting vector ecology, are being felt in China. Heatwave-related mortality has risen by a factor of four from 1990 to 2019, reaching 26 800 deaths in 2019. The monetised cost of the high number of deaths is equivalent to the average annual income of 1·4 million people in China. Older people (>65 years old), who face a 10·4% higher risk of dying during a heatwave, endured an average of 13 more heatwave days in 2019 compared with the 1986–2005 baseline. For outdoor workers, their potential heat-related labour productivity loss reached 0·5% of total national work hours, costing 1% of China's gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to its annual fiscal expenditure on science and technology. Driven in part by rising temperatures and a changing climate, the advent of more extreme wildfires and the spread of dengue fever will in turn lead to profound health effects. Different regions have unique health threats, requiring a targeted response—19 provinces have had an at least 10% rise over the past two decades in three or more of the six health effect indicators reported. Importantly, many highly populated and economically advanced provinces, such as Henan, Shandong, and Zhejiang, are faced with health risks that are larger and more rapidly accelerating than others. The second message is that impressive and concerted improvements have been made across several sectors in China; however, the gap in the country's response to the health effects of climate change is large. In some sectors, China has taken large steps to address climate change. Solar power generation is growing at an unprecedented rate of 26·5% per year, rising to 26·8 gigawatts (GW) of newly installed capacity in 2019. Investments in low-carbon energy are now nine times greater than those in fossil fuels (rising from a 1:1 ratio in 2008); and, providing 4·1 million jobs in 2018, renewable energy now employs more people in China than fossil fuel extraction industries. As a result of strong policy measures, severe air pollution has also decreased, with a 28% reduction in annual average particulate matter of 2·5 μm or less (PM2·5) concentration in cities from 2015 to 2019, resulting in 90 000 fewer PM2·5-related premature deaths annually. These air pollution control policies also act to mitigate climate change and have resulted in a decline in China's coal share in total primary energy supply from 66% in 2014 to 59% in 2018. Showing leadership at the subnational level, three provinces already have a provincial health and climate change plan in place, with four more provinces underway. However, although these changes have been rapid, more shifts of a greater size are necessary to enact a response that is of the scale required to fulfil China's carbon neutrality by 2060 pledge and to minimise the rising health burdens of climate change, both in China and around the world. Although renewable energy use is rising, coal stills holds a 59% share of the total primary energy supply in China. Fossil fuel subsidies were US$41·9 billion in 2018, without considering the contribution of fossil fuels to the estimated $10·7 billion economic losses because of premature mortality from PM2·5 air pollution. Although there have been substantial reductions in air pollution, 42% of China's population still live in areas that do not meet the interim air quality guidelines from WHO, and almost all cities have PM2·5 concentrations more than the recommended annual average of 10 μg/m3. The health effects of climate change are not adequately recognised or addressed, as climate change is not referenced in the Healthy China Action Plan (2019–30), and China is yet to introduce a standalone national adaptation plan for health. Taking a broader perspective, media coverage and individual engagement in health and climate change are low, with little spread of knowledge and engagement. China will need to scale up progress in all sectors to counteract the rising curve of the health risks from climate change. Five recommendations are proposed to key stakeholders in health and climate change in China: (1)Enhance interdepartmental cooperation. Climate change is a challenge that requires an integrated response from all sectors. Although China commits to integrate health into all policies, substantial interdepartmental cooperation among health, environment, energy, economic, financial, and education authorities is urgently needed.(2)Strengthen health emergency preparedness. Although the amount of health emergency preparedness in China would be greatly enhanced after COVID-19, knowledge and findings on current and future climate-related health threats still do not have enough attention and should be fully integrated into the emergency preparedness and response system, so that future health service, medical supplies, and infrastructure needs could be planned ahead.(3)Support research and raise awareness. Additional financial support should be allocated to health and climate change research in China, to enhance the knowledge of health system adaptation, mitigation measures, and their resulting health benefits. At the same time, media and academia should be fully motivated to raise awareness on this topic for the public and for politicians. Additionally, the Government of China should update the Healthy China Action Plan (2019–30) to address the health risks of climate change as soon as possible.(4)Increase climate change mitigation. China's new pledges towards carbon neutrality by 2060 is a major step forward. Speeding up the coal phase-out process is therefore necessary to be consistent with the carbon neutrality pledges and continue China's progress on air pollution reduction. Fossil fuel subsidies should also be phased out to reflect the true cost of ongoing fossil fuel use and to avoid undermining the effect of China's emissions trading scheme, scheduled to take effect in 2021.(5)Ensure the country's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic protects health both now and in the future. Decisions made as part of China's efforts to recover from COVID-19 will shape the public's health for years to come. The longer-term prospects for lives, livelihoods, and a sustainable economy will be put in jeopardy if these interventions do not prioritise climate change.

Water sprays from an open fire hydrant in Brooklyn, New York, in the midst of a July 2010 heat wave that affected much of the eastern United States.In 2007 the New York City Department of Environmental Protection first teamed up with Alianza Dominicana, a Washington Heights community organization, to educate city residents about the appropriate use of fire hydrants and other ways

Uniting the Global Gastroenterology Community to Meet the Challenge of Climate Change and Non-Recyclable Waste

The Heat is On: Imperative for Midwifery Engagement in Climate Change.

The Standing Committee of European Doctors urged to include training on the impact of climate change on health for health professionals. Currently, in the curriculum of most medical schools, the health-related impacts of climate change represent a peripheral part. The teaching of health effects of climate change should be made part of the training of health professionals and should be introduced in the curriculum of medical schools. ClimateMed is an Erasmus project that improves the curriculum and expands knowledge about the health effects of climate change at medical universities. The World Café method, based on round table discussions, was applied to assess the needs, summarize the proposals, and develop the necessary strategy. At the same time, a questionnaire was applied to those medical students from UMFST Targu Mureș who chose this subject as an optional subject. Students related the importance of understanding the diseases caused directly or indirectly by climate change, and reported what kind of topics should be included in a new course, in which semester/module and in what format it would be appropriate to teach it. The most frequently reported topics were: excessive heat and heat-related illnesses, extreme weather, vector-borne diseases, food safety, air pollution, and mental health. According to the goals of the project and students’ opinions, since 2023 medical students can choose Climate Change and Health Effects as an elective course. Based on the demand for medical universities to include in their curriculum knowledge related to the health effects of climate change, ClimateMed project can facilitate this integration and can promote the increase of teacher motivation and the development of methodological guidelines for university teachers. The project contributes to the preparation of some educational materials and the introduction of an optional subject in the training curriculum of the students of the Faculty of Medicine, UMFST Targu Mureș. Key messages • There must be made efforts to include training on the impact of climate change on health for health professionals, to introduce this subject in the curriculum of medical schools. • ClimateMed project can facilitate the integration of knowledge about the health effects of climate change into curriculum and can promote the practical use.

This book describes the direct and indirect global impacts of climate change. It includes 30 chapters divided into 7 parts. Part I (Introduction) includes 2 chapters describing anthropocene and the impact of climate change on global health. Part II includes 4 chapters focusing on the primary health effects of climate change: heat- and cold-related mortality and morbidity; occupational heat exposure and effects; and climate extremes, disasters and health. Part III includes 6 chapters covering the secondary health effects of climate change: global warming and malaria in tropical highlands; dengue distribution and transmission dynamics; Lyme disease; human parasitic disease; allergens and allergic diseases; and wildfires and air pollution. Part IV includes 3 chapters describing the tertiary health effects of climate change: famine, food security and hunger; migration and population health; and association between climate change, conflict and ill-health. Part V includes 8 chapters discussing the health impacts of climate change in different regions (East Asia, South Asia, Latin America, Small Island States (Pacific Islands, Caribbean and Indian Ocean Islands), Europe, Arctic and Africa). Part VI includes 5 chapters discussing cross-cutting issues related to climate change: food and energy; biomass fuels, poverty and gender; mental health and cognition; housing and public health; and scenarios. Lastly, Part VII includes 2 chapters on health activism and adaptation to climate change. This book provides invaluable evidence for public health professionals, those responsible for protecting populations from the effects of extreme events, and public health and development communities.

The U.S. National Climate Assessment concluded that climate change is harming the health of many Americans and identified people in some communities of color as particularly vulnerable to these effects. In Spring 2014, we surveyed members of the National Medical Association, a society of African American physicians who care for a disproportionate number of African American patients, to determine whether they were seeing the health effects of climate change in their practices; the response rate was 30% (n = 284). Over 86% of respondents indicated that climate change was relevant to direct patient care, and 61% that their own patients were already being harmed by climate change moderately or a great deal. The most commonly reported health effects were injuries from severe storms, floods, and wildfires (88%), increases in severity of chronic disease due to air pollution (88%), and allergic symptoms from prolonged exposure to plants or mold (80%). The majority of survey respondents support medical training, patient and public education regarding the impact of climate change on health, and advocacy by their professional society; nearly all respondents indicated that the US should invest in significant efforts to protect people from the health effects of climate change (88%), and to reduce the potential impacts of climate change (93%). These findings suggest that African American physicians are currently seeing the health impacts of climate change among their patients, and that they support a range of responses by the medical profession, and public policy makers, to prevent further harm.

Graduate medical education (GME) focused on climate change (CC) health effects is essential. However, few CC education evaluations exist to guide residency programs looking to implement CC content. To evaluate the effect of an education session on residents' self-reported knowledge of CC health effects and confidence utilizing local CC anticipatory guidance and community resources with patients. A CC session was integrated into the pediatric, family medicine, and social medicine curricula at an urban academic medical center in 2023. A convenience sample of residents participated in 1 of 4 nonrandomized case-based or lecture-based sessions. Pre- and post-session 5-question Likert-scale surveys were used for assessment and analyzed using paired t tests. Sixty-eight of 108 eligible residents completed the surveys (28 case-based, 40 lecture-based, 63% response rate). Residents' understanding and confidence to engage with patients on CC health effects after the educational session improved (Q1 mean difference 1.3, t 67=9.85, 95% CI 1.04-1.57, P<.001; Q2 1.5, t 67=9.98, 95% CI 1.20-1.82, P<.001; Q3 1.8, t 67=12.84, 95% QI 1.54-2.11, P<.001; Q4 2.1, t 67=16.25, 95% CI 1.84-2.36, P<.001; Q5 2.1, t 67=16.28, 95% CI 1.86-2.38, P<.001). Resident self-reported understanding of the health effects of CC and confidence utilizing local CC anticipatory guidance and resources with patients increased after a CC education session.

Climate change and gender-based health disparities

In the aftermath of the catastrophic 2019–2020 bushfires, the corona virus disease of 2019 pandemic and recent devastating floods in New South Wales and Queensland, Australians voted for climate action in the 2022 Federal election, and a new Climate Change Bill1 has already passed the House of Representatives. Climate change is recognised by scientists, public health experts, Indigenous leaders, economists and the Australian public at large as the most pressing issue at our doorstep.2-5 As we consider the veracity of net zero emission election commitments and the architecture of a post-pandemic recovery in Australia, we use science, public health expertise and a common chronic condition to explain the links between key issues and outline a road map for action in Australia. In this commentary, we highlight current evidence on the relationships between climate change, air pollution, fossil fuel use and their associated impacts on public health. We use asthma as a case study to examine the economic and human health burden arising from this climate-air pollution-fossil fuel triad. Australia's dependence on fossil fuels and gaps in energy policy are underscored as drivers of negative climate and public health outcomes. We provide a roadmap for action consisting of a mandate for: rapid de-carbonisation of Australia's energy systems; adoption of a healthcare without harm framework; and preparing public health systems to prevent and control asthma exacerbations. Climate change is the greatest threat to public health of the 21st century.6 The planet has warmed significantly over the past century by on average 0.8°C, largely as a result of increased global emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHG).7 Human activity and fossil fuel-based, carbon intensive energy systems have contributed substantially to global heating. Climate change is having profound effects on weather systems, exemplified by the increased frequency and duration of extreme weather events including floods, drought and bushfires. Climate change also adversely impacts on atmospheric air quality and air pollution.1 The relationship between climate change and air quality is bi-directional: climate change can exacerbate or increase existing air pollutants (e.g., atmospheric heating increases ground level ozone); air polluting emissions influence the climate (e.g., release of carbon-based materials such as black soot have a heating effect); several sources of air pollution are sources of GHGs (e.g., methane locks heat in the atmosphere, triggering climate change). Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels is a primary source of air pollutants (e.g., particulate matter [PM]2.5) and is harmful to human health.8 Higher temperatures and carbon dioxide levels arising from climate change also increase airborne allergenic pollens contributing to allergic asthma.9 The energy sector is the largest contributor to GHG emissions in Australia.8 Australia's primary energy consumption is dominated by fossil fuels (i.e., coal 40%, oil 34% and gas 22%)10 and its electricity system is founded on centralised, carbon-intensive coal-fired generation. Australia's coal burning (and exports) contributes to climate change and air pollution and hence health impacts. Every step of coal's lifecycle produces air pollutants that affect human health. Burning coal produces fly ash and particulate matter (PM2.5), which lodge in the lungs, causing irritation and inflammation.11 Transport (energy) is the second largest source of emissions after electricity production.12 The road transport sector, including passenger and commercial vehicles, is reliant on petroleum-based fossil fuels and is a significant contributor to air pollution in cities and regions.13 For example, petrol and diesel emissions arising from road traffic are a major culprit in asthma exacerbations: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure and living in close proximity to a major road are associated with an increase in the likelihood of asthma in children and adults.14, 15 Asthma is one of the most common and costly of all chronic disease conditions affecting more than 260 million people globally, and both its prevalence and incidence is strongly associated with air quality and atmospheric pollution16 In 2021, 2.7 million people (10.7%) of the Australian population had asthma, making it a common non-communicable disease17 and accounting for 417 deaths in 2020.18 Nationally, there were over 37 000 hospitalisations with asthma as the principal diagnosis in 2016 and around 2% of all general practitioner encounters were for asthma, representing the 14th most common reason for a general practitioner consultation in that year.19, 20 As asthma is a lifelong condition, the costs associated with the condition are high, both to the individual as well as to the health service, where it accounts for $770 million in direct expenditures annually.19 Studies of coal mine fires and coal town residency illuminate the fossil fuel, air pollution and asthma relationship. The Hazelwood coal mine fire in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria in 2014 created plumes of smoke and ash with high PM2.5 for 45 days. Guo et al.21 found increased risks of all-causes, respiratory diseases, and asthma related emergency presentations and hospital admissions. Casey et al.11 found living near coal-fired power plants is linked to higher rates of respiratory disease and increased asthma exacerbations, while shutting down a coal plant or upgrading emission controls decreases inhaler use, emergency department visits and hospitalisation for asthma among local residents. Gas has also been associated with childhood asthma: one study of Australian children reported the population attributable fraction for childhood asthma associated with household gas stoves (which release PM2.5, NO2) for childhood asthma was approximately 12%, corresponding to over 2700 disability adjusted life years.15 Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of bushfires in Australia. Smoke from bushfires is a major risk factor for asthma exacerbations: the 2019–2020 summer bushfires have been linked to 429 premature deaths, more than 2000 hospitalisations for respiratory health issues and 1500 emergency department presentations with asthma.235 The health-related economic costs of the 2019–2020 bushfires was estimated AU$1.95 billion, with the majority due to the economic costs of premature mortality associated with the bushfires; AU$25 million of healthcare costs, $24 million for cardiovascular and respiratory hospitalisations, and AU$1 million for asthma emergency department attendances.22 Climate change effects allergic diseases.23 Thunderstorm asthma is an allergic asthma response to airborne allergenic pollens that rupture due to osmotic shock following a thunderstorm event, and thereby allowing smaller allergenic sub-pollen particles to reach the lower airways to trigger the potentially deadly allergic response24 (see Figure 1). In November 2016, the phenomenon of thunderstorm asthma caused 10 deaths in Australia and more than 3300 ED presentations.19, 24 Several studies have shown that plants growing in highly polluted air produce more allergenic pollen.25 When combined with pollen rupture, it results in a volatile mix that turns such pollens into ‘biological time bombs’. Knox et al.26 have shown that the major allergen of rye grass pollen has the capacity to directly interact with diesel exhaust carbon particles (DECP). They assert allergen-loaded DECP has the capacity to penetrate the lower airways and prompt an episode of asthma. Figure 1 describes the relationship between air pollution, climate change, fossil fuels and thunderstorm asthma as a public health issue. Healthcare—one of the world's largest industries—contributes to climate change and air pollution. The Australian healthcare system is responsible for ~7% of national GHGs.27 In the United States, one study has estimated that healthcare-related air pollution was responsible for 9% of respiratory disease burden from PM emissions.28 Similar estimates of disease impact are not available locally, but Australian healthcare is responsible for around 3% of national PM footprint.29 Paradoxically, some asthma treatments are significant contributors to GHGs. Metered-dose inhalers for asthma contribute an estimated 3.9% of the total carbon footprint of the UK National Health Service,30 due to the extremely potent GHGs used as propellants in some delivery systems. Australian estimates are not available, but the same products are widely used in this country. This scenario demonstrates perverse feedback loops—air pollution and climate change drive each other, and both drive increasing asthma incidence through various pathways, while treating asthma can itself further drive climate change through GHG emissions. This is a critical decade. Linear, single issue and reductionist approaches will not cut through the complex public health challenges arising from the climate change, air pollution and fossil fuel triad. Here we offer the new federal government and health sector a three-point roadmap for action. The roadmap highlights key public health-oriented interventions, which will prevent health-harming emissions, promote a healthy recovery from the pandemic and help Australians prepare for increasing asthma prevalence due to environmental triggers. Australia remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels and is unlikely to keep its commitments to the Paris Agreement to which it is a signatory. Since 1990, there has only been a 10% reduction in the share of electricity generation produced from non-renewable fuels (89.9% in 1990 to 80.2% in 2019) with more than half of total generation still reliant on coal.31 Stopping fossil fuel development and decarbonising energy systems are the most urgent and far reaching challenges of this decade.32 To prevent health harming air polluting emissions and to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, Australia requires a coherent and timely policy framework that enables disinvestment in fossil fuels and a rapid transition to renewable energy. Central to this policy framework are climate change mitigation targets—an essential upstream and long-term public health strategy for managing the underlying causes of the increasing bushfire risk and thunderstorm asthma. This critical, foundational government policy framework will also support emission reduction efforts within the Australian healthcare sector.33 Action must be taken now, as limiting global heating to 1.5°C will require deep emissions reductions of at least 45% from 2010 levels by 2030.7 Australia's healthcare sector needs to reduce its total emissions to net zero. By 2030, an 80% reduction in emissions is required for healthcare to help meet the 1.5°C Paris Agreement commitments and minimise the predicted catastrophic public health consequences of climate change.33, 34 Australian hospitals and health systems must implement interventions which will decarbonize healthcare delivery to ‘first do no harm’ whilst maintaining and improving health. Healthcare systems can take cost-effective action to transition toward zero emissions energy, buildings, travel and transport, waste management as well as low emissions pharmaceuticals, sustainable food system ectera.35 There are multiple health service level examples of successful action (see Global Green and Health Hospitals36) and state and territory government policy leadership can support compliance and implementation. Substitution of high emission products with more climate friendly alternatives and incentivising the production of green medications is another key strategy. This is particularly relevant to asthma medication. Alternative delivery mechanisms to metered dose inhalers without the high global heating potential propellants, such as dry powder based inhalers, are available and suitable for the majority of patients.35 Wilkinson et al.30 study found that switching to low global warming potential asthma inhalers has co-benefits for reducing GHGs and drug costs. Many peak health and medical bodies have declared a climate emergency. We support the call by Australia's peak associations including Doctors for the Environment Australia, Australian Medical Association, Royal Australian College of Physicians and the Climate and Health Alliance for the establishment of an Australian Sustainable Healthcare Unit to lead and coordinate initiatives and collaboration nationwide.33 Australia's recent bushfire smoke-related and thunderstorm asthma epidemics were climate change and air pollution driven disasters of national and/or state level significance. Both events tested public health system preparedness and responsiveness and capacity to prevent and control environmental health hazards. We support the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangement's recommendations, specifically those pertaining to community education, air quality and health.37 Further, we endorse Vardoulakis et al.'s38 perspective that consistency of air quality information and related public health advice across jurisdictions in Australia is essential. We support their call for an independent national expert committee on air pollution and health protection to be established to support environmental health decision making in Australia. Likewise, the impact of climate change (longer pollen seasons, more extreme weather events) on asthma prevalence and severity needs to prioritised in public health planning and surveillance efforts. Notably, the current National Asthma Strategy (2018) is mute on climate change and air pollution. Australians voted for action on climate change in the 2022 federal election. The evidence is clear, we need rapid transition from fossil fuel toward renewable-energy powered systems, including net zero healthcare systems, which will provide benefits for public health, climate and economy. Yet, it remains to be seen whether the pace of change envisaged in the Climate Change Bill 2022 is sufficiently fast, or whether new coal and gas generation and mining projects will be phased out. Continued failure to rapidly act on the climate-air pollution-fossil fuel triad in Australia is likely to result in increased asthma prevalence and severity and exert an inexorable toll on the health, social and economic wellbeing of future generations. Asthma is just the tip of the iceberg. Health and medical groups have a key role in helping chart a new course with the incoming federal government to avert the cascading impacts of this ubiquitous climate-driven public health crisis. Open access publishing facilitated by Deakin University, as part of the Wiley - Deakin University agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. None. The authors declare no conflicts of interest except Rebecca Patrick. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Rural communities are subjected to impact of climate change and children are the most vulnerable. Adaptation to climate change poses, great challenge to Zambia, planners and decision makers need to appreciate application of strategic management. The study desired to establish the extent and impact of climate change on realization of children’s fundamental rights in rural agriculture dependent households, management and child protection systems in Zambia as well as to assess key factors of climate change and how it has contributed to inabilities of rural agricultural dependent households to fulfill fundamental rights of children. Contribute to the body of knowledge through proposing some measures that can address climate changes, with strategic management approach, community engagement, integrated with child rights approach. National Climate Change Policy sets two objectives with immediate relevance responding to climate change, public health and need strategic management, decisions: “To promote, strengthen implementation of adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures to reduce vulnerability to climate variability and change.” “To strengthen, institutional and human resource capacity, to effectively and efficiently address all aspects of climate change at, national, provincial, district and local levels.” There is need to strengthen, policies, promote application of prediction models and technologies to determine vulnerability sectors to climate change, support higher learning and research institutions on climate related research that supports child rights governance and protection. The study used combined methodology, action and explanatory. Much of the study methodology was explanatory in nature as it attempted to identify circumstances surrounding the extent and impact of climate change on realization of children’s fundamental rights in rural households. Key results includes Stakeholders, have not appreciated the application of strategic management in their planning and implementation of interventions on climate change with a child right’s lens. Climate change and environmental degradation are creating various crisis situations for children and rural households including social and economic crisis hence increasing vulnerability and poverty.

Climate change is a looming public health challenge. The health consequences of climate change are increasingly recognized as contributing to negative health outcomes for individuals, families, communities, and populations. The education of health professionals in academic programs and continuing education in clinical practice settings is critical in today's world. The Association of American Medical Colleges and the National League for Nursing, among other organizations, have urged academic programs to include the impact of climate change on health in health professions education and have started to integrate it into curricula. However, health professionals educated over the past several decades have received little content related to the deleterious impact of climate change on health. Therefore, continuing education programs addressing the health consequences of climate change are being developed to fill the gap in health professions education globally. This review study explicated the available continuing education opportunities for public health professionals and health care providers related to the health consequences of climate change. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(12):561-566.].