scholarly journals The Future of Careers at the Intersection of Climate Change and Public Health: What Can Job Postings and an Employer Survey Tell Us?

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Krasna ◽  
Katarzyna Czabanowska ◽  
Shan Jiang ◽  
Simran Khadka ◽  
Haruka Morita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Gis Mapping ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Downstream Effects ◽  
Job Postings ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Health Justice

Climate change is acknowledged to be a major risk to public health. Skills and competencies related to climate change are becoming a part of the curriculum at schools of public health and are now a competency required by schools in Europe and Australia. However, it is unclear whether graduates of public health programs focusing on climate change are in demand in the current job market. The authors analyzed current job postings, 16 years worth of job postings on a public health job board, and survey responses from prospective employers. The current job market appears small but there is evidence from job postings that it may be growing, and 91.7% of survey respondents believe the need for public health professionals with training in climate change may grow in the next 5–10 years. Current employers value skills/competencies such as the knowledge of climate mitigation/adaptation, climate-health justice, direct/indirect and downstream effects of climate on health, health impact assessment, risk assessment, pollution-health consequences and causes, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, communication/writing, finance/economics, policy analysis, systems thinking, and interdisciplinary understanding. Ensuring that competencies align with current and future needs is a key aspect of curriculum development. At the same time, we recognize that while we attempt to predict future workforce needs with historical data or surveys, the disruptive reality created by climate change cannot be modeled from prior trends, and we must therefore adopt new paradigms of education for the emerging future.

Public health competencies in global health education and demand of the global health labour market

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Czabanowska ◽  
H Krasna
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Employment Outcomes ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Gis Mapping ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Systematic Research

Abstract Background Many competencies frameworks exist worldwide and it is well known that competence-based education supports employability. However, little research exists regarding public health graduates' employment outcomes. This paper aims to stir the discussion about the expectations of the global health employment market and the competencies, which should be developed in graduates of public health programs with global orientation. Methods Material from in three different studies is used, including a systematic review of public health competency frameworks, scoping review of employment outcomes of students earning public health degrees, and analysis of 16 years' worth job postings with focus on competencies related to climate change. Results Employers currently value competencies, such as the knowledge of climate mitigation/adaptation, climate-health justice, direct/indirect and downstream effects of climate on health, health impact assessment, risk assessment, pollution-health consequences and causes, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, communication/writing, finance/economics, policy analysis, systems thinking, and interdisciplinarity. Conclusions The public health workforce needs to be equipped with the capabilities which trespass disciplines, professional silos and paradigms in order to be effective and able to address multiple challenges and global disruptions including climate change, as well as to lead through insecure contexts. More systematic research is needed on tracking the employment outcomes of the global health workforce, which may help to adapt public health competencies frameworks and education programs to the changing demands of the global health employment market.

scholarly journals Potential impact of a US climate policy and air quality regulations on future air quality and climate change

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (21) ◽  
pp. 31385-31432
Author(s):  
Y. H. Lee ◽  
D. T. Shindell ◽  
G. Faluvegi ◽  
R. W. Pinder
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Climate Policy ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Surface Ozone ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
The Us ◽  
Indirect Forcing

Abstract. We have investigated how future air quality and climate change are influenced by the US air quality regulations that existed or were proposed in 2013 and a hypothetical climate mitigation policy that reduces 2050 CO2 emissions to be 50 % below 2005 emissions. Using NASA GISS ModelE2, we look at the impacts in year 2030 and 2055. The US energy-sector emissions are from the GLIMPSE project (GEOS-Chem LIDORT Integrated with MARKAL for the Purpose of Scenario Exploration), and other US emissions and the rest of the world emissions are based on the RCP4.5 scenario. The US air quality regulations are projected to have a strong beneficial impact on US air quality and public health in the future but result in positive radiative forcing. Surface PM2.5 is reduced by ~ 2 μg m−3 on average over the US, and surface ozone by ~ 8 ppbv. The improved air quality prevents about 91 400 premature deaths in the US, mainly due to the PM2.5 reduction (~ 74 200 lives saved). The air quality regulations reduces the light-reflecting aerosols (i.e., sulfate and organic matter) more than the light-absorbing species (i.e., black carbon and ozone), leading a strong positive radiative forcing (RF) by both aerosols direct and indirect forcing: total RF is ~ 0.04 W m−2 over the globe; ~ 0.8 W m−2 over the US. Under the hypothetical climate policy, future US energy relies less on coal and thus SO2 emissions are noticeably reduced. This provides air quality co-benefits, but it leads to climate dis-benefits over the US. In 2055, the US mean total RF is +0.22 W m−2 due to positive aerosol direct and indirect forcing, while the global mean total RF is −0.06 W m−2 due to the dominant negative CO2 RF (instantaneous RF). To achieve a regional-scale climate benefit via a climate policy, it is critical (1) to have multi-national efforts to reduce GHGs emissions and (2) to target emission reduction of light-absorbing species (e.g., BC and O3) on top of long-lived species. The latter is very desirable as the resulting climate benefit occurs faster and provides co-benefits to air quality and public health.

The influence of global warming on natural disasters and their public health outcomes

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Diaz, MD, MPH-TM, DrPH
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Heat Stroke ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Climatic Effects ◽  
Cascading Effects

With a documented increase in average global surface temperatures of 0.6ºC since 1975, Earth now appears to be warming due to a variety of climatic effects, most notably the cascading effects of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities. There remains, however, no universal agreement on how rapidly, regionally, or asymmetrically the planet will warm or on the true impact of global warming on natural disasters and public health outcomes. Most reports to date of the public health impact of global warming have been anecdotal and retrospective in design and have focused on the increase in heat-stroke deaths following heat waves and on outbreaks of airborne and arthropod-borne diseases following tropical rains and flooding that resulted from fluctuations in ocean temperatures. The effects of global warming on rainfall and drought, tropical cyclone and tsunami activity, and tectonic and volcanic activity will have far-reaching public health effects not only on environmentally associated disease outbreaks but also on global food supplies and population movements. As a result of these and other recognized associations between climate change and public health consequences, many of which have been confounded by deficiencies in public health infrastructure and scientific debates over whether climate changes are spawned by atmospheric cycles or anthropogenic influences, the active responses to progressive climate change must include combinations of economic, environmental, legal, regulatory, and, most importantly, public health measures.

scholarly journals Assessing the public health impact of climate change in Wales

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Green
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Population Groups ◽  
Impact Of Climate Change ◽  
Potential Impact

Abstract In April 2019, Wales declared a climate emergency. Public Health Wales commissioned a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to assess the potential impact of Climate Change on the population of Wales to be carried out to inform key strategic decision makers to understand/plan for the potential differential health impacts that may occur in Wales from climate change. A comprehensive mixed-method HIA was conducted over a 6-month period in 2019/20. A review of peer-reviewed evidence on the potential impact of climate change/climate change events on health and population groups and a review of grey literature on direct impacts such as the environment, mental wellbeing and health care settings was conducted. The search was undertaken using MEDLINE, Embase, Proquest. 2 stakeholder workshops, qualitative interviews, a community health profile utilising recognised data sources (i.e. The National Survey for Wales) and a survey to identify the publics' views on climate change were also carried out. All findings were analysed, synthesized and collated into a report. The HIA initial findings indicate significant potential impacts across the wider determinants of health and mental well-being i.e. Air quality, excess heat/cold; flooding; economic productivity; working conditions; access to services; infrastructure; and community resilience. A range of impacts were identified across population groups, settings, geographical areas including urban and rural contexts; outdoor workers; children and young people; older people; schools; hospitals/care homes and workplaces. The impacts identified are both confirmed and potential. Undertaken in a short timeframe, the findings have been beneficial to inform decision-makers to prepare for Climate Change plans/policies using an evidence-informed approach. The work has demonstrated the value of a HIA approach for significant, complex policies by mobilising a range of evidence through a transparent process, resulting in transferrable learning for others.

scholarly journals A Systems Understanding Underpins Actions at the Climate and Health Nexus

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2398
Author(s):  
Montira J. Pongsiri ◽  
Andrea M. Bassi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Climate And Health ◽  
Climate Change And Health

Multiple sectors—health and non-health—can determine the health and well-being of people and the condition of the socio-ecological environment on which it depends. At the climate and human health nexus, a systems-based understanding of climate change and health should inform all stages of the policy process from problem conceptualization to design, implementation, and evaluation. Such an understanding should guide countries, their partners, and donors to incorporate health in strategic climate actions based on how health is affected by, and plays a role in, the dynamic interactions across economic, environmental, and societal domains. A systems-based approach to sustainable development has been widely promoted but operationalizing it for project level and policy development and implementation has not been well articulated. Such an approach is especially valuable for informing how to address climate change and health together through policy actions which can achieve multiple, mutually reinforcing goals. This commentary article describes strategic steps including the complementary use of health impact assessment, quantification of health impacts, and linking climate and health actions to national and global policy processes to apply a systems-based approach for developing climate mitigation and adaptation actions with human health benefits.

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