Health, Equity and Climate in All Policies: PHI statement on federal climate change executive actions

Statement from Linda Rudolph, MD,  Public Health Institute Senior Advisor on Climate Health and Equity

“Yesterday the Biden/Harris administration took sweeping, bold and overdue action on climate change. The series of executive orders and federal actions reckon head on with the crisis of climate change, along with its health impacts which are already being felt—worst and first—in our least-resourced communities around the globe. Over the last few months, PHI worked with a broad cross-section of national and state health and medical organizations to develop recommendations to the Biden Harris administration that include the actions taken this week and additional steps.

“The ‘whole of government’ approach being implemented at the federal level mirrors the ‘health, equity and climate in all policies’ approach that has been spearheaded by the Public Health Institute for more than a decade.  By asking that all federal agencies weigh the impact of their decisions on climate, health and equity, we ensure that every action we take is also a step toward a healthier planet, healthier communities and toward redressing historical systemic inequities that have meant Black, brown and poor communities bear the worst impacts of climate change.

“Every moment we waste magnifies the speed with which climate change accelerates. The steps taken today are incredibly encouraging—in their understanding of the problem, the science, the solutions, and the impacts on equity. We must work quickly, resolutely and without partisan or political barriers, to implement the vision that has been laid out: here at home and with our partners around the world.”