Guest: Jonathan Patz, MD, MPH, Director of UW’s Global Health Institute
“Climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in communities across the United States, presenting growing challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth.” This statement is just one of many dire predictions reported in the recently released Fourth National Climate Assessment. In fact, a new study shows global temperatures might be rising faster than expected.
“Climate change isn’t just an environmental concern – it’s the most important public health challenge of our time,” states Jonathan Patz. On this program, Dr. Patz describes how climate change can affect health both directly and indirectly. He also updates us on the Trump Administration’s threat to have the United States leave the Paris Climate Agreement which would make the U.S. the only country in the world not participating.
For 15 years, Dr. Patz served as a lead author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the organization that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore. He also co-chaired the health expert panel of the first U.S. National Assessment on Climate Change, a report that is mandated by the U.S. Congress.
