This article was reported and written by Hannah Beath, MPH ’23, Melia Allan, and Jennifer Wang.
Researchers, community leaders, and public officials shared the latest evidence on climate risks, the challenges they pose to health, and solutions to better protect residents, especially those who face the greatest burdens, at the Connecticut Symposium on Climate and Health. The event was co-hosted by the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health (YCCCH) and the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) on September 10, 2025.
YCCCH Faculty Director Dr. Kai Chen, PhD, and DPH Director of Climate and Health Hannah Beath, MPH ’23, underscored the importance of state and local evidence, action, and partnerships—especially in light of the difficult national policy landscape.
The first panel centered on the growing climate challenges facing Connecticut and the importance of building resilience in the face of extreme climate events. James O’Donnell and Dr. Marc de Vos, PhD, MS, from UConn’s Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) presented projections pointing to far fewer extreme cold events in the state by the end of the century, a possible order of magnitude increase in dangerous heat days, accelerating sea level rise, and increased frequency of hazardous storm surges.
Storm surge is particularly threatening to homes, infrastructure like roads, and drinking and wastewater systems. Data produced by both the Chen Lab and by scientists at CIRCA is critical for preparing and protecting Connecticut communities for the realities of climate-health impacts.
Chen highlighted his research demonstrating that climate exposures are already shaping health in Connecticut and beyond. His team found that heat, combined with ozone, raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes even among young, healthy adults; that the 2023 wildfire smoke event in the Northeast triggered increases in asthma related emergency department visits; that prolonged smoke exposure may contribute to thousands of deaths nationwide each year; and that even months after a flood, there’s increased risk for cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and mental health issues.
Equity and justice were central to the discussion on risk. UConn anthropologist Dr. Eleanor Shoreman-Ouimet, PhD, described “eco-social-structural” vulnerability—showing how housing quality, language access, income constraints, and emergency response systems shape who is at risk and who can recover. Sharon Lewis, director of the Connecticut Coalition for Economic and Environmental Justice, linked low rates of homeownership, substandard housing, and energy burdens to negative health outcomes, stressing that individuals most affected by climate change must lead the solutions.
The conversation highlighted state and local partnerships that are increasing the resiliency of Connecticut communities. CT DEEP’s Rebecca French emphasized climate solutions with a “triple-impact” of affordability, community resilience, and public health. Three panelists inspired the audience by sharing successful local projects, ranging from air quality monitoring in Stamford (Dipika Khushalani, Stamford Department of Health and Human Services), to the remediation of a Bridgeport brownfield site deemed “Mount Trashmore” into a community space called “Mount Growmore” (Deborah Sims and Karen Soares from East End NRZ Market & Café), and centering community voices at The Place for CommUNITY Wellbeing in New London (Jennifer Muggeo and Corona Zhang from Ledge Light Health District).
Dr. Mark Mitchell, MD, MPH, of Connecticut Health Professionals for Climate Action and a member of the YCCCH Advisory Board, argued that trusted health voices can not only cut through polarization to increase support for climate action, but that we are obligated to do so.
The symposium closed with participants naming shared priorities for the work ahead, such as expanding resilience hubs; weaving together funding from different sources to scale local projects; bridging research and policy; investing in a trained, paid climate-health workforce; using plain-language, multilingual communication; and centering communities at every step. As YCCCH’s Jennifer Wang, MS, and Beath reminded the group, Connecticut’s most important infrastructure is its relationships. The dialogue, new partnerships, and collaborations sparked during the event will guide researchers, community leaders, and public officials in building a healthier, more resilient state.