The Climate Change and Health Concentration

Climate change is one of the defining public health challenges of the 21st century, and most public health professionals have little to no formal training in this topic. The YSPH Concentration in Climate Change and Health seeks to train the next generation of public health leaders on the health impacts of climate change and opportunities to intervene.

Working at the nexus of climate change and health requires skills and expertise found across public health. Consequently, students from each YSPH department are encouraged to join this concentration. Climate change is an environmental exposure that can affect both infectious and chronic diseases. Research about the relationship between climate change and health can involve sophisticated mathematical and statistical modeling, including the development of new methods. Behavioral change, mental health, and social justice are major concerns, as climate change is magnifying social inequalities. Finally, health management expertise is needed to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies in the health care sector, while policy expertise is needed to address thorny questions of governance.

Students enrolled in the YSPH Climate Change and Health Concentration (CCHC) must fulfill the requirements of their respective departments or programs. In addition, the Climate Change and Health Concentration requires the student to complete:

• EPH 570/571: Seminar in Climate Change and Health (two semesters) – 0 units
• EHS 547: Climate Change and Public Health – 1 unit
• Elective: Research and applied skills – 1 unit
• Elective: Drivers and impacts of climate change – 1 unit

• Summer internship focused on climate change and health – 0 units
• EPH 555: Clinic in Climate Justice and Public Health – 1 unit

• EHS 560: Methods in Climate Epidemiology – 1 unit
• EHS 544: Climate Equity and Health Policy Methods – 1 unit

• Complete a thesis with a substantive focus on climate change and health. The Concentration Executive Committee and Affiliated Faculty will be available to advise interested students on choosing thesis topics.
• Complete a summer internship related to climate change and health. The Concentration will develop a listing of summer internship opportunities for interested students and will also offer competitive funding.

Upon completing the Climate Change and Health Concentration, the student will be able to:

• Describe how the climate has changed, explain the role of greenhouse gases in climate change, and describe how the climate is predicted to change in the future.
• Describe how climate change adversely impacts population health, with differing vulnerability across population sub-groups.
• Explain how adaptation and mitigation strategies can reduce adverse health impacts of climate change and can generate substantial non-climate health benefits in a just and equitable manner.
• Apply basic methods used in climate change and health research.
• Apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to an applied public health research or public health practice project focused on climate change and health.
• Explain and value the relationship among climate change, public health and justice.