Georgia Southern
March 13, 2025
Climate Change and Health
Climate change is possibly the greatest global challenge of the 21st century, and it is directly harming human, animal, and ecosystem health.
ASPPH and our members are committed to protecting populations’ health by reducing the causes of climate change and adapting to its impacts.
In 2021, recognizing the urgency of the climate change and health crisis, ASPPH established the Task Force on Climate Change and Health. The initial charge of the task force was to develop recommendations for collective action to reduce the impacts of climate change on population health. In 2022, the task force released a framework laying out principles and recommendations for ASPPH and schools and programs of public health to act through education and training, research, practice, and policy and advocacy while approaching the issues through the lens of social justice, taking advantage of interdisciplinary collaborations and partnerships at all levels of society.
In response to the framework’s recommendations, phase II of the task force identified a set of competencies deemed critical for a climate and health concentration at the MPH level. You can read about how we arrived at the concentration competencies in our one-pager. We offer our sincere gratitude to the task force and to our many reviewers who devoted extensive time and effort to provide us with invaluable guidance throughout this process.
Take Action
ASPPH encourages all members to act on this critical issue by reviewing the framework and recommendations when planning climate change and health activities. We offer up seven competencies for a climate and health concentration as guidance to be adopted and adapted within the unique contexts of schools and programs of public health.
Responding to the Climate Change and Health Crisis: Executive Summary
Responding to the Climate Change and Health Crisis: A Framework for Academic Public Health
Concentration Competencies for the MPH
Resources
Climate Change and Health Toolkit
ASPPH, in collaboration with the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE), developed a toolkit consisting of guidance, examples, and resources for CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health to incorporate teaching on the intersection between climate change and health in their curricula.
Why Climate Change and Health
Why climate change and health? There are countless reasons why, and ways, we must come together to address this urgent issue. Hear from ASPPH’s Climate Change and Health Task Force co-chairs, Deans Lynn Goldman (GW) and Jonathan Samet (Colorado), about the problems and potential solutions, as well as some words of perspective and hope from our President and CEO, Dr. Laura Magaña.
Responding to the Climate Change and Health Crisis
This webinar features a panel discussion about the framework with climate change experts and the topics and challenges identified.
Academic Public Health Leadership
Latest Climate Change and Health News
Engage With Us
Follow us on social media to learn more about the health impacts of climate change
Contact Us
Dorothy directs priority initiatives for the Office of the President and CEO, including ASPPH’s global engagements and climate change and health initiatives.
Dorothy A. Biberman, MPH, CPH
Senior Director of Global Engagement and Executive Initiatives
Rebecca manages ASPPH’s global engagements and climate change and health initiatives.
Rebecca S. Fournier, MPH
Manager of Global Engagements