Transcript Climate Change Response by Happenstance: Public Health and the

Climate Change Response by Happenstance:
Public Health and the Built Environment
April, 2013
Charles Gardner
Medical Officer of Health
Local public health agencies have been very active in
recent years on health-promoting built environments
Air
Quality
Mental
Health &
Social
Capital
Food
Access
Built
Community
Injury
Prevention
Traffic &
Transport
Design
Environment
Physical
Activity
Water
Quality
Meanwhile, population health impacts of climate change
are happening and anticipated
Source: Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC). Source:
Some of us have reported on this to our communities
Source: AHEAD OF THE STORM … Preparing Toronto for Climate Change. Development of a Climate Change Adaptation
Strategy. Toronto Environment Office in Collaboration with the City of Toronto Climate Adaptation Steering Group and the
Clean Air Partnership. April 18, 2008
Despite this, Canadians have yet to start mitigating
climate change. (Others have started.)
Source Low-Carbon Energy Futures: A Review of National Scenarios © 2013 Trottier Energy Futures Project.
There is still denial—Most Canadians and Americans
believe that climate change is important, but also
believe it is “others” who are at risk
Source: Public Perceptions of Climate Change as a Human Health Risk: Surveys of the United States, Canada and Malta.
Akerlof, K., et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2010 June7 (6).
Ontario Local Public Health Activities on
Climate Change Adaptation
• Developing protocols and response plans for extreme weather
events with an emphasis on extreme heat events.
• Conducting surveillance – extreme heat, air quality, vector-borne
diseases, water quality.
• Participating on the development of Climate Change Adaptation /
Emergency Plans with municipal partners.
• Identifying vulnerable populations and conducting vulnerability
assessments.
• Developing and disseminating messaging on health protection
and adaptation measures.
Source: (Survey of Ontario Health Units – Helen Doyle, Manager, Health Protection
Division, York Region)
Mitigation and Adaptation: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Source: AHEAD OF THE STORM….Preparing Toronto for Climate Change. Development of a Climate Change Adaptation
Strategy. Toronto Environment Office In Collaboration With the City Of Toronto Climate Adaptation Steering Group and the
Clean Air Partnership. April 18, 2008
A happy coincidence:
Healthy design also mitigates climate change.
LEED for Neighborhood Development criteria:
Transportation Demand
Management
Walkable Streets
Compact Development
Connected and Open Community
Mixed-Use Neighborhood Centers
Mixed-Income Diverse Communities
Reduced Parking Footprint
Street Network
Access to Civic and Public Spaces
Access to Recreation Facilities
Local Food Production
Tree-Lined and Shaded Streets
Neighborhood Schools
Green Infrastructure and Buildings
Transit Facilities
Adapted from Source: http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=10504.
The LEED-ND Rating System was created by the Congress for the New Urbanism,
Natural Resources Defense Council, and the U.S. Green Building Council.
Carbon emissions per capita (metric tons), 2005
The potential to improve:
Denser metro areas tended to have lower carbon
footprints
Persons per acre of developable land, 2005
Source: Blueprint for American Prosperity. Unleashing the Potential of a Metropolitan Nation. SHRINKING THE CARBON
FOOTPRINTOF METROPOLITAN AMERICA. Brown, M.A., Southworth, F., Sarzynski, A., May 2008
http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2008/05/carbon-footprint-sarzynski
Public Health’s Trump Card: “Health benefits” can
prompt support for “mitigation-related policy action”
Source: Reframing climate change as a public health issue: an exploratory study of public
reactions. Maibach, EW, et .al. BioMed Central Public Health. 2010 Jun
Much local public health work is also
happening on mitigation
• Health promotion campaigns such as 20/20 The
Way to Clean Air, Clean Air Day, Earth Week, antiidling, school travel planning
• Promoting green energy, energy conservation,
active transportation, green fleets, green building
design
• Participating on, or leading, the development of
Climate Change and Air Quality Strategies
(addressing both mitigation and adaptation)
• Participating in FCM’s Partners for Climate Protection
Program
• Providing input on land use planning policies e.g.
official plans, sustainability plans
• Advocating for provincial legislation and policies e.g.
Provincial Policy Statement, AQHI, Provincial Climate
Change Plan
Source: Survey of Ontario Health Units – Helen Doyle, Manager, Health Protection Division, York Region
Where may more action on mitigation take us?
• Leading by example:
– Local public health office and business practice greening
– Green public health communication / collaboration / continuing
education / conferences.
• Advocacy for climate change mitigation policy, commitments and
actions by our governments (local, provincial, national).
• Collaboration with new partners for effective action
internationally.
• Coming full circle – enhanced effectiveness in addressing the
more “down stream” public health issues of the day (obesity,
chronic diseases, air quality, injuries, social cohesion).
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Mohandas Gandhi