Climate Change and Health - What Communities Can Do
What Communities Can Do
Decisions and actions at the local level have a big impact on climate change. Use these resources to help prepare your communities for a changing climate:
- Consider the risks of climate change on people’s health, especially those who are more vulnerable, when making decisions about land use or local services.
- Improve notification systems that alert the public of weather-related and other emergencies.
- Set up cooling centers and update emergency response plans to consider climate change.
- Create local programs that encourage residents to reduce their carbon footprint.
Community Resources & Tools
Air Quality
Building Climate Adaptation at the Local Level
- Climate Adaptation Virtual Workshop Series: Watch the Climate Adaptation Virtual Workshop Series to learn more about building resilience at the local level.
- Climate Adaptation Toolkit: Read stories by local health departments and explore resources on climate and health.
- Funding Opportunities: Learn more about climate adaptation funding opportunities from NYSERDA, NYSACHO, Climate Smart Communities and others.
- CDC Climate and Health: Explore resources on the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects Model and the Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative.
- Resources for Public Health Professionals: Use these resources, guidance, trainings, evaluation tools, webinars, data and tools, and videos.
- Climate and Health: A Guide for Cross-Sector Collaboration: Explore methods that support health department outreach on climate adaptation.
- New York State Climate Impacts Assessment: A scientific investigation into how climate change is affecting the communities, ecosystems, infrastructure, and industries of the Empire State.
- Responding to Climate Change in New York State (ClimAID): Review climate change impacts and adaptation strategies for water resources, coastal zones, ecosystems, agriculture, energy, transportation, telecommunications, and public health.
- New York State Disadvantaged Communities Barriers and Opportunities Report: Learn why some communities are disproportionately affected by climate change, air pollution, and have unequal access to clean energy.
- New York State Climate and Health Profile Report: Review this assessment of the impact of climate change on New York State.
Climate Mitigation
Extreme Heat
- Extreme Heat Advice: Provides tips on how to stay cool during summer heat and how to protect those who may be more at-risk
- Cooling Center Finder: Provides information on places where people can go to cool down during extreme heat.
- Heat and Health Infographic: Learn more about extreme heat and what can be done to help people keep cool during the hottest days of the year.
- Heat Stress Data: Explore data on the percent of heat stress hospitalizations and emergency department visits in New York State due to heat.
- County Heat and Health Profiles: Identifies populations and neighborhoods at highest risk to inform efforts to prepare for and prevent heat-related illnesses.
- Heat Vulnerability Index Maps: Identifies areas in the state where people are vulnerable to heat. Heat vulnerability is how likely a person is to be injured or harmed during periods of hot weather.
- Extreme Heat and Health in New York State: Presents the latest research on extreme heat and its impact on health.
- Summer Safety Publications: Share these materials to promote hot weather safety.
Extreme Storms and Flooding
Harmful Blue-Green Algae Blooms (HABs)
Vector-Borne Disease
Other Climate and Health Resources
