2014
New WHO guideline on indoor air quality
November 21, 2014
The WHO released a guideline for household fuel combustion to help public health policy-makers, as well as specialists working on energy, environmental and other issues, understand best approaches to reducing household air pollution — an environmental health risk in low- and middle-income countries.
Pentagon asserts climate change a national security threat
October 14, 2014
The Pentagon released a report entitled “2014 Climate Change: Adaptation Roadmap,” which states that climate change is an immediate threat to national security. The Department of Defense will incorporate climate change risks in its military planning and operations. Previously, the Pentagon responded to climate change impacts through adaptation strategies, such as reinforcing coastal naval bases from sea level rise. However, with the new report, the military will consider broader impacts of climate change risks, such as the political tensions that may be exacerbated due to drought and food shortages.
Confronting Ebola: Crafting a Public Health Response
October 13, 2014
Click here for more information.
Students at the People’s Climate March!
September 25, 2014
Our graduate students joined 400,000 others in the People’s Climate March on Sunday, September 21st, voicing chants such as “Fossil fuels have got to go, hey hey, hoho” and “What do we want? Climate justice! When do we want it? Now!”
Left to right: Kai Chen (visiting PhD scholar from China), Haruka Morita (Program Coordinator), Kate Weinberger (5th year PhD candidate), and Richard Remigio (2nd year PhD student)
ClimAid Update
September 22, 2014
NYSERDA has released updated projections of climate changes in New York State – changes that are already affecting the state and will likely result in greater impacts on flooding, agriculture, winter tourism, and many other areas in the future.
Released in 2011, “Responding to Climate Change in New York State: The ClimAID Integrated Assessment for Effective Climate Change Adaptation” is a 600-page report that presents the projected changes in climate for seven geographic regions of the state, ranging from the coasts of Long Island to the mountains of the Adirondacks and the farms of Western New York.
This 2014 update to the climate chapter of the original report presents refined projections for the seven regions based on additional and newer models, updated methods and science, and new emissions scenarios. The study fine-tunes projections for variables such as sea level rise and extreme events like downpours and heat waves. This update also extends the projections through 2100.
In general, the updated study confirmed and refined previous projections:
• Sea level could rise significantly, permanently flooding some areas and increasing the likelihood of damage to coastal infrastructure from storm surge, including roads and bridges.
• Inland and upstate, heavy downpours and subsequent flooding are expected to increase. In the winter, more rainstorms in place of snow are expected.
• While winters will be milder, summers are expected to see more extreme and longer heat waves, with more droughts as well.
The climate projections update to the original report was conducted by Columbia University researchers, with input from Cornell University and Hunter College at the City University of New York. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and NOAA Consortium for Climate Risk in the Urban Northeast (CCRUN) scientists also contributed to the work.
A copy of the study, as well as other climate research documents, is available at www.nyserda.ny.gov/ClimAID.
People’s Climate March – Sunday 9/21
September 19, 2014
People’s Climate March is on Sunday!!
Join the largest climate march in history!
Two Climate and Health Master’s students’ testimony on climate change impacts at City Hall
September 18, 2014
Watch the video (9/4/2014 at Council Chambers – City Hall) at the link below. Their testimony starts at around 1:33:00.
CHP Fall 2014 Newsletter released!
September 17, 2014
Read the latest updates on the Climate and Health Program! It highlights new members of the program, research findings, upcoming events, and more!
Click on the Archive link above.
Screening: Disruption
September 17, 2014
Columbia’s Students for Environmental Action is hosting a screening of the movie Disruption at 7:30pm in the ARB 8th Floor Auditorium. There will be snacks and a brief discussion following the movie!
See more on the event and others related to the People’s Climate March.