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Dear Maricela,
One of the best wins of 2024 was the victory of youth climate activists in Montana, where the state’s Supreme Court became the first in the U.S. to recognize a constitutional right to a stable climate. Dr. Frederica Perera served as an amicus in this important case, showing us another powerful way to move environmental health research into action. See CCCEH September 2023 Newsletter on Montana Climate Activists.
As we enter the new year, we are ready to tackle public health challenges head-on! Our research team has made significant progress over the past year, and we continue to publish our findings while growing our partnerships and strengthening our community outreach efforts.
The Center is dedicated to safeguarding Children's Environmental Health and Justice. We will strive to preserve the advancements we’ve made and advance our agenda in collaboration with our supporters and partners. We look forward to involving everyone in this important work!
Thank you for your ongoing support!
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Climate Change and Clean Air Policies Bring Major Health Benefits to Children and Adults
Frederica Perera and Kathleen Lau
December 16, 2024
A review of research also reveals that the benefits are undercounted and assessments should be broadened.
Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health find that clean air and climate policies aimed at reducing fossil fuel emissions and air pollution prevent large numbers of deaths and illness in adults and children. The new analysis of peer-reviewed scientific findings also reports substantial economic benefits. The findings are published in the Journal of Climate Change and Health (link is external and opens in a new window).
Researchers reviewed 26 studies of the health benefits of specific clean air or climate policies in terms of the estimated numbers of avoided premature deaths, asthma and other respiratory illness, preterm birth, low birth weight, and neurodevelopmental impairment.
“Despite their limitations, taken together the studies reviewed here testify to the effectiveness of clean air and climate policies in protecting public health. At a time when the role of government in protecting public health is being questioned, the results demonstrate the importance of policies to address the escalating problems of climate change and air pollution,” says corresponding author Frederica Perera, DrPH, PhD, special research scientist and professor emerita of environmental health sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and director of the Program in Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health.
Read Full Press Release
Read Publication
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Distribution of air quality health benefits of medium and heavy-duty electrification policies in New York City
Brian Naess, Jonathan Buonocore, Veronica Southerland, Muskaan Khemani, Catherine Seppanen, Ananya Roy, Frederica Perera, Kaitlyn E Coomes, Rick Rykowski and Saravanan Arunachalam*
January 3, 2025
The increased electrification of the transportation sector aims to reduce emissions from the largest source of greenhouse gases while also improving health through better air quality.
This study's objective is to evaluate the distribution of air quality health benefits resulting from Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle (MHDEV) policies in New York City (NYC), focusing on differences across neighborhoods (census tracts) and among various population subgroups (based on race and ethnicity).
We conducted an integrated model analysis for a 2040 baseline/business-as-usual scenario and two policy scenarios simulating different rates of MHDEV adoption, also for 2040. We calculated changes in air quality (specifically regarding fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)) as well as health and economic benefits for each policy scenario.
The methodology utilized a modified version of our previously developed ZIP Code-Level Air Pollution Policy Assessment tool, which combines two reduced-form models: the Community Air Quality Tools and the Co-Benefits Risk Assessment Health Impacts Screening and Mapping Tool. Our air quality modeling employed a novel receptor network to capture sharp gradients in emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) across the densely populated NYC region.
Our findings indicate that the electrification of MHDVs would yield significant air pollution and health benefits for NYC. Full on-road electrification of MHDVs is projected to save $2.4 billion in health costs by 2040, preventing 248 deaths and 173 emergency department visits for childhood asthma. Notably, the benefits from reduced NO2 levels accounted for 85% to 97% of the total health benefits, underscoring its importance in studies related to on-road health impact. Most of these health benefits are projected to be concentrated in neighborhoods with a high percentage of historically marginalized populations, including substantial advantages for Hispanic communities.
Read Publication
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Federal Policy Platforms and Public Health: Reinforcing the Benefits of Air Pollution Control Devices at Power Plants in the United States
American Journal of Public Health (ajph)
Jonathan J. Buonocore ScD, MS, Jeremy Fisher PhD, ScM, Daniel Prull PhD, MS, Mary D. Willis PhD, MPH, Saravanan Arunachalam PhD, MS, Frederica Perera DrPH, PhD, Patrick Kinney ScD, MS, Brian Sousa BS, and Jonathan I. Levy ScD
January 2025
Recent federal policy platforms have been proposed that include substantial changes to environmental regulation at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For instance, the 2025 Presidential Transition Project (“Project 2025”)1 has a number of proposals to change the Clean Air Act (CAA); and the America First Agenda2 has proposals to “modernize” the CAA. If implemented, these measures may sharply reduce the future public health benefits of the CAA. These include possible harms from ceasing operation of air pollution control devices (APCDs) at power plants, which have been a bedrock of national-scale air pollution reductions for decades.
Although many policy measures proposed in Project 2025,1 the America First Agenda,2 and elsewhere are vaguely described, there are clear emphases on rolling back proposed and pending rules for power plants, loosening air quality standards, changing classification of air pollution sources, and reducing the EPA’s enforcement powers. These changes could lead to reduced requirements to install new APCDs or to continue use of existing APCDs. Such regulatory rollbacks could undo the substantial health benefits achieved in recent years.
Read Publication
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ECHO Study Investigates Nutrition During Pregnancy and Infant Growth Outcomes
Authors: Monique Hedderson, Assiamira Ferrara, et al. (ECHO Cohort Consortium, including CCCEH Researchers, Drs. Julie B. Herbstman and Amy Margolis)
November 21, 2024
Nearly one-third of children in the U.S. have overweight or obesity, putting them at risk of adverse health outcomes later in life. More research is needed to inform prevention strategies during critical periods of growth, including pregnancy. This study aimed to understand the association between diet quality during pregnancy and infant growth. Rapid growth from birth to 24 months has been identified as a strong predictor of obesity later in life. ECHO researchers looked at how a mother’s nutrition during this crucial period of development might influence the baby’s size at birth and their growth over time.
Researchers used two indexes to measure healthy eating patterns: the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP). These scales measure how well foods in a person’s diet align with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and the diet’s inflammatory potential, respectively. Expectant mothers with higher HEI scores were more likely to have babies with a healthy birthweight and fewer growth issues. Specifically, higher HEI scores were associated with a 12% lower chance of having a baby born large for gestational age (LGA) and a lower chance of rapid growth from birth to 6 months and birth to 24 months. By contrast, a lower score on the EDIP, indicating a less inflammatory diet, was associated with a 24% higher chance of LGA and slower growth to 6 months but faster growth from birth to 12 months. This association was less clear and warrants further study.
Read Full Press Release
Read Publication
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CHAI
(CUIMC Healthy Aging Initiative)
Pilot Awards Announced!
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The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) Mothers PATHWAY Initiative: Pregnancy to Aging Through Health and Wellbeing Assessment across the Years
Levering Longitudinal Data to Understand Healthy Aging
Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz, associate professor of environmental health sciences and member of CCCEH COTC Team.
Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz and co-PIs Rebecca Kehm, assistant professor of epidemiology, and Sarah Tom, assistant professor of epidemiology in Neurology and in the Sergievsky Center, will establish a multidisciplinary, community-engaged consortium to identify early drivers of healthy aging and longevity in mothers. They and their team will leverage existing longitudinal cohorts at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health that have tracked environmental exposures and social determinants in communities of color in New York City. Their work aims to identify key drivers of health disparities, and to develop interventions to mitigate these health risks and bolster resiliencies that lead to healthier aging.
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Register Here/Regístrese Aquí
You will receive a zoom link the morning of the workshop/Recibirá un enlace para zoom la mañana del taller.
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Happy New Year! GrowNYC is hosting a FREE workshop next week for non-profit organizations and community groups looking to operate their own neighborhood food box or farmstand.
GrowNYC’s Food Access Technical Training is an information session that will help organizations and groups determine which model is the right fit for them. If interested in attending, please find workshop details and registration link below:
Date: January 16, 2025
Time: 4 PM - 6 PM
Format: All training sessions are remote via Zoom.
Please RSVP here to attend. Participants will receive the link via email in advance of the training.
For more information and questions, please call GrowNYC’s main office at 212-788-7900.
Best,
The Health Bucks Team
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Summer 2025 application deadline:
February 28, 2025
11:59 pm ET
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Children’s Environmental Health Network, (CEHN) has spent over thirty years as a leader for children’s environmental health in the nation’s capital. Interns gain experience with leading one or more projects related to children’s environmental health, networking with and being mentored by leaders in the field of environmental health with extensive experience and connections, and gaining valuable insight into the role of national nonprofits in public health and the environment.
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Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
PrIMER
Program to Inspire and Mentor Undergraduates in Environmental Health Science Research (PrIMER) is a research program for undergraduate STEM students in the New York City area.
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Columbia VP&S | ACComPLISHED CHW Program
The Community Health Program is an excellent option for students contemplating a career in health or academia who want to make an impact in their community. Students will explore clinical correlates, engage in simulated patient encounters, and develop knowledge and skills in workshops. The Students will hear from several physicians and allied health professionals from Columbia University and New York Presbyterian. Students participate in a hybrid interdisciplinary community health program delivered throughout the academic year with weekly zooms and monthly in-person sessions.
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The Manhattan District Attorney’s High School Internship Program is a rigorous five-week internship that provides students with an insider’s view of the criminal justice system. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in workshops and discussions, participate in a mock trial program, develop professionalism in an office setting, and more. Interns will be paid minimum wage.
Applications will open on January 13, 2025.
Applications will close on March 12, 2025, at 5 pm EST.
Eligibility
- Applicants must reside in Manhattan (no exceptions)
- Applicants must be current sophomores, juniors, or seniors
- Applicants must commit to attending the full five-week session from June 30, 2025 – August 1, 2025
- Interns will participate in-person Monday through Friday from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Application Requirements
Eligible applicants must provide the following:
- One-page resume
- 300-word essay discussing your interest in criminal justice (for example, you may submit an essay discussing what “one standard of justice for all” means to you)
Summer Intern Program: We begin accepting applications for the Summer Program on January 15 and the deadline is February 1 (5:00pm ET)
- Time Commitment: Students will be required to work full-time during the nine week in-person program. The program begins on the first Monday in June.
- Salary: Summer College Interns receive a salary of $560.00 per week.
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Eligibility: Current college sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply to the summer internship program. Applicants must have completed a minimum of two years of college by the time the internship commences. If you have received or will receive your undergraduate degree before the internship program begins, click here for other opportunities at our office.
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The Center’s research is powering action to reduce the impacts of climate change, air pollution, and toxic chemicals on children and families.
Your support is yielding both immediate and long-term benefits to children’s health today and in the future. Your gift will protect the gains that we have achieved together.
We hope you will make a tax-free gift donation to the Center in order to continue this important work.
With Gratitude
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Julie Herbstman, PhD
Director, Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
Frederica P. Perera, DrPH, PhD
Director of Translational Research and Founding Director
Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
mailman.columbia.edu/ccceh
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