Prepare for Public Health Challenges of Global Warming

Secretary Leavitt,

I am writing this to urge you to close the preparedness gap in our ability to meet the public health challenges of climate change, as detailed in a new report by Environmental Defense Fund. The report highlights declining overall preparedness budgets in recent years and the fact that most local health directors feel they lack the needed resources to be adequately prepared.

The CDC has acknowledged the likelihood that climate change will contribute to serious health problems, in the United States and around the world, in the future. These problems include illnesses and deaths from heat waves, more intense hurricanes and floods, poor air quality, and from infectious diseases.

But just acknowledging these challenges is not enough. The Department of Health and Human Services must request additional funds from Congress to do something about them. This includes funds for CDC and NIH to develop predictive tools so that states and counties can better assess their unique risks, improve monitoring and surveillance networks, and expand disaster response resources, training and outreach services.

Just as there will be a huge cost if we do not urgently act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there will also be a high price to pay in lives and dollars for failing to adequately prepare for the public health challenges of climate change. We urge you to make preparing for climate change a high priority for your department by expanding the resources available to accomplish this mission.