NIH requests input on climate change and health
July / August 2021 | Volume 20 Number 4
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Photo by Stockbyte/ThinkstockThe NIH is requesting advice on how to best advance six
research priorities related to climate change and health.
Extreme weather events, rising sea levels and other aspects
of climate change pose substantial threats to human
health. Addressing these has been identified by the Biden
Administration as an urgent priority that requires “a whole-of-government approach.” At the NIH,
a working group has been meeting to
consider how the agency can enhance
research on the health implications
of climate change in the U.S. and
globally. More than nine Institutes,
Centers and Offices are participating
in the effort, which is co-chaired by
NIEHS and Fogarty. The committee is
inviting stakeholder input to inform the
process.
In a Request for Information
(RFI) published in the NIH Guide,
respondents are asked to provide
advice on six research priorities related
to climate change and health—innovative approaches,
scientific infrastructure, partnerships to address
environmental injustice, rapid response capacity, training
needs to build a diverse climate change and health research
work force, and dissemination and translation of research
findings into strategies that protect health.
The RFI notes that climate change threats influence a
broad range of health concerns including communicable
and noncommunicable diseases, injuries, hazardous
exposures, mental health and death. Some impacts are
immediate—from hurricanes, heat
waves, floods and droughts—while
others result from more gradual
changes, such as rising sea levels.
In the U.S. and globally, structural
racism and discrimination place
communities of color, under-resourced, health disparity
populations and other historically
disadvantaged communities at
higher risk from the health impacts
of climate change. Understanding
the health implications—including
potential health benefits—of actions
to prevent, mitigate and adapt to
climate change offers opportunities
to improve the social and environmental determinants of
health, especially for at-risk communities.
Responses to the RFI must be e-mailed to NIEHS-RFI-CCHH@niehs.nih.gov by Sept. 17, 2021. The RFI is
available at https://bit.ly/NIH_CChealth.
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