Climate change has been called the most significant public health challenge of the 21st Century. The impacts of climate change are vast, including an increased incidence of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, agricultural disruptions, and more. Its impacts are far-reaching, posing a global risk with profound consequences for the environment, economies, and the overall well-being of present and future generations. Addressing climate change is essential for building resilient communities, promoting environmental justice, and mitigating health and well-being disparities. 

The scale of climate change requires comprehensive, coordinated efforts to mitigate its effects and adapt to evolving conditions. Despite broad consensus in the scientific community about the nature of our global environmental problems, political institutions remain a barrier to transformational change. In the United States, pursuing economic growth often supersedes environmental and social considerations, leading to accelerated greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Often under this financial system, businesses prioritize short-term profits and deprioritize environmental sustainability. These actions lead to more pollution and resource depletion and perpetuate environmental inequality, disproportionately affecting low-income communities that are more likely to reside in environmentally hazardous areas.

Vulnerable and marginalized populations, including low-income communities, communities of color, and Indigenous peoples, are disproportionately impacted by climate change in the U.S. Climate precarity intersects with other forms of social and economic marginalization, including race, ethnicity, gender, and class, compounding the challenges these communities face. These communities often face higher exposure to environmental hazards, increased susceptibility to extreme weather events, and limited resources for adaptation, highlighting the importance of environmental justice alongside climate change. 

In the U.S., frontline communities—those experiencing the consequences of climate change “first and worst”— are often marginalized in legislative processes and lack sufficient influence over environmental and climate policies, perpetuating systemic inequalities. Recognizing the link between environmental justice and climate impacts is essential for establishing an inclusive framework that addresses climate change across all communities and dismantles systemic racism inherent in current policy structures favoring market-based exploitation.

Climate change amplifies existing vulnerabilities and disparities. As mistrust of public health authorities grows amidst climate-related challenges, many communities face associated mental health challenges. Furthermore, climate-induced disruptions like extreme weather events and changing disease patterns contribute to heightened health risks and impact vulnerable populations disproportionately. Climate change exacerbates disparities in access to quality healthcare, transportation, food, clean air, and clean water. 

Climate change directly threatens human well-being, including increased risks of heat-related illnesses, infectious diseases, and disruptions to food and water supplies. The climate crisis is a systemic issue because it impacts every aspect of our society, including economics, public health, social equity, and geopolitics. Local communities and changemakers can advance health equity by amplifying climate justice movements that empower marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices. Building community power and leadership through empowering political and economic growth will support collaborative decision-making processes related to climate policies. 

Changemakers and stewards can influence climate change in the U.S. by advocating for and implementing policies that promote renewable energy, sustainable practices, and climate resilience. Using collaborative co-designing strategies that engage policymakers and decision-makers, uplifting and centering communities are essential to advancing systemic change to address the complexities of the climate crisis.