Environmental health has traditionally focused on local situations. However, with climate change presenting an enormous potential for global and large-scale impact, the environmental health professional must be knowledgeable and able to provide leadership. For just one example, the warming of temperate zones will greatly increase the range in which the Anopheles mosquitoes responsible for malaria transmission mosquito can live. Major portions of the United States may start experiencing malaria outbreaks!

As a central part of our curriculum, climate change is studied primarily in Air Quality Management (ENVH 304). We also explore climate change in two of our Key eXperience (general education) courses, Environmental Health Science (ENVH 105) and The Global Commons: International Perspectives on Environmental Health and Protection (ENVH 210). Climate change will affect the well-being of populations everywhere in the world, so we provide information throughout the student body as part of a balanced education.

Listed below are a few resources to learn more about climate change.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a joint effort of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. Its web site contains links to many comprehensive reports and other web sites of value.

The WWF’s (formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund) climate change web page is representative of many environmental non-governmental organizations response to this emerging threat.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), a branch of the Library of Congress, provides nonpartisan research reports to members of the House and Senate. The CRS prepared a briefing report on global climate change which as been made available over the net by the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE). This site provides links to a host of useful information.