Climate and Health

From heat waves and extreme weather to natural disasters including flooding and wildfires, climate change is altering disease patterns, contributing to non-communicable diseases, generating eco-anxiety, and intensifying resource scarcity, which leads to increased rates of poverty and other severe challenges. 

Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health is exploring new opportunities to protect health in a rapidly changing climate. We are identifying adaptations for vulnerable populations to contend with extreme weather, wildfires, resource scarcity, displacement, and other impacts, while raising awareness of the health impacts of environmental challenges to quantify the costs of inaction and drive urgent change.

Stanford Climate and Health research highlights: 

• New research from Eran Bendavid and Renzhi Jing uncovers the growing impacts of tropical cyclones on health and livelihoods, particularly in low- and middle-income countries – building a foundation for relief agencies, development banks, and other organizations to develop strategies for interventions.
• New research on climate anxiety from Britt Wray and Peter Pellitier quantifies the mental health impacts of climate change on young people and frontline communities – and identifies opportunities for building resilience through psychosocial support interventions and public engagement.
• A research portfolio led by the Stanford Climate Energy and Policy Program assesses the growing health impacts of wildfires and wildfire smoke and investigates an array of solutions – including prescribed burning, air quality improvements in buildings, and toolkits for improving public school resilience.

View HPH's Climate and Health Publications

_{Image credit: Moniruzzaman Sazal / Climate Visuals Countdown}