♦ BCCPH Members Present at the 2019 AMS Annual Meeting
♦ 2018 On Track to Set Record for Number of Heat Deaths
♦ Climate and Health News Roundup
3rd Annual BCCPH Meeting a Success!
On November 9th, 2018, ninety-eight individuals representing twenty-eight unique organizations participated in the 3rd Annual Bridging Climate Change and Public Health and the 2nd Arizona Environmental Tracking Program Technical Advisory Group Meeting. Participants learned about the action teams addressing our five strategic priorities, helped set goals for the new year, and networked with a diverse group of stakeholders. The meeting culminating with a ceremony for the winners of the 2018 Climate and Health Champion awards.
Meeting participants pose in front of a "bridge" created by slips of paper with each of their individual commitments to furthering the Bridging Climate Change and Public Health coalition.
Action Teams Set New Goals for 2019
ACTION TEAM: Fostering Environmental Action for a Healthier Community
Our goal for the year is to develop a toolkit for local businesses with best practices for implementing environmental action strategies to mitigate climate impacts on health. The team plans to work with the business community to determine what would be most helpful. We have also recruited an intern to review and compile best practices. Members of our team are collaborating with the Communications Team to collect testimonials from businesses who are already engaged in practices to reduce environmental impact and improve health.
Click here to contact the community action team.
ACTION TEAM: Coordinating Research and Collaborative Efforts to Catalyze Change
Our next big project is to start working on a knowledge repository for the website. We plan to model the repository after the ISDS surveillance webpage and provide a searchable interface so individuals can identify research occurring around climate and health in Arizona. We think this will be useful internally and to a wide audience! We are actively seeking additional members for our team. Click here to contact the research team.
ACTION TEAM: Celebrating Success and Champions
We are currently in the process of identifying and finalizing criteria as well as developing timeline for the 2019 Climate and Health Champion Awards. The awards are part of a Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) campaign that recognizes and celebrates local youth, citizens, schools, organizations, and businesses countywide that are taking steps toward implementing sustainable solutions, ecofriendly practices, and/or policies that improve health outcomes due to climate-sensitive hazards. Keep an eye out for announcements about this year’s award categories and the nomination time frame to be posted on the MCDPH webpage.
Click here to contact the champions team.
ACTION TEAM: Building Community Awareness through a Strategic and Targeted Communication Plan
Our team has been focused on re-branding our collective effort, including a recommended new name for our coalition efforts, a focused mission statement and an updated vision statement. These recommendations will be sent to the Action Team co-leads for their consideration and input. The group is also working to help develop a website for this coalition effort. It is our hope these elements reinforce who our coalition is and why we are working to address climate change and public health in Maricopa County. With this foundation in place, each Action Team is well-poised to recruit members, build partnerships and continue implementing projects.
Click here to contact the communication team.
ACTION TEAM: Promoting Community Awareness and Public Education about Climate and Health
The Education Committee has a goal for the year to develop a video about climate and health that is relevant to residents of Maricopa County. Our team plans to develop accompanying educational materials at the middle school level so that the video can be used in the classroom as well as for the general public. If you have experience in video production or would like to help with this project, click here to contact the education team.
BCCPH Members Present at the 2019 AMS Annual Meeting
During the second week of January, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) met in downtown Phoenix for their 2019 Annual Meeting. A number of BCCPH partners attended the event, which included symposia on forecasting the impacts of climate change on specific populations, estimating the burden of climate-related hazards on human health, and evaluating select mitigation and adaptation strategies. Several members of the BCCPH partnership presented original projects and research at the meeting. Maricopa County was further represented by numerous local university students who participated in various presentation and poster sessions.
Click here to view the full program and learn more about the 2019 American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting.
2018 On Track to Set Record for Heat Deaths
Currently for 2018, 169 confirmed heat-associated deaths have been reported to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH). An additional 50 deaths for which heat is suspected to be a contributing factor are currently under investigation. Based on present figures, 2018 is likely to become another record-setting year for the number deaths attributable to environmental heat.
