We’re all trying to orient ourselves to a new world. We are amidst a fast-moving pandemic and economic contraction, and immediately concerned about our families and communities, and our future. As our perspectives are narrowed by the urgency of COVID-19, our other big challenges, especially climate change, have not gone away. We must support our frontline first responders, sanitarians, and food distributors while those of us who can must still also continue the drumbeat of climate action.
If we look at addressing these challenges in tandem, the COVID-19 crisis provides useful guidance for addressing our climate emergency. The stimulus money we’re indebting ourselves with has the potential to go a long way to solving climate change. Comprehensive COVID-19 and economic solutions with a longer-term perspective can lead us to climate solutions — a more prosperous, healthy, thriving and just America. It can reignite the true spirit of America’s leadership. ecoAmerica’s full position paper, “Climate Leadership Amidst COVID-19” is available here.
Climate for Health Leaders are stepping up to meet these challenges:
- We joined with many on a Letter to Congress on COVID-19, Climate and Health
- Dr. Mona Safarty co-authored “COVID-19 and climate change: What can we learn about saving lives?” in The Hill
- Dr. Ari Bernstein and Dr. Georges Benjamin joined Dr. Katharine Hayhoe on a webinar on COVID-19, climate change, and public health
- Dr. John Balbus presented on an American Geophysical Union Thriving Earth Exchange virtual seminar, How Geoscientists Can Help Fight COVID-19
This weekend, Dr. Linda Rudolph, who was recently named DNC Climate Change Platform Committee Vice Chair, will be discussing the intersections of climate change and COVID-19 in a Facebook Live event. Read her new piece, “Fighting for Health, Resilience and Truth in the Face of COVID-19 and Climate Change” and tune in at 7:30 ET/4:30 PT on Sunday, April 19.
And with Earth Day coming up, many of our partners are preparing to celebrate and take a moment to reflect on the hard-fought achievements in the last 50 years. These highlights are more important than ever as many of their members are battling a new threat.
- The National Environmental Health Association is hosting a Twitter Chat on Tuesday, April 21 with the theme, “Climate Action”
- We are hosting the webinar, “Children’s Health & Climate Change: A Moment of Reflection on Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary” with the American Academy of Pediatrics
“See” you online, and stay in touch with Climate for Health.
