1. Climate Change, Health, & Equity
Michele Shimomura
Denver’s nationally- accredited public health department

2. How Does Climate Change Affect Health?
Heat Stress
Infectious
Disease
Air
Pollution
Waterborne
Disease
Health

3. Summer Temperatures Have Shifted
Cooler than average
Baseline ( ) mean
Average
Warmer than average
1951 – 1980
Frequency of Occurrence
ID # Can be used in noncommercial online and TV broadcasts of your presentation, but not modified.
DESCRIPTION: Graph of the frequency of cool, average and warm summer temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, The horizontal axis is in units of local standard deviation.
ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS: Dr. James Hansen and his colleagues examined the frequency of different categories of summer temperatures.* This series of graphs show the shift over time towards warmer than average conditions.**
REFERENCES:
* James Hansen et al., “Perception of climate change,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (August 6, 2012).
** Columbia University, “Public Perception of Climate Change and the New Climate Dice,” last updated January -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
Deviation from Mean
Source: NASA/GISS; Hansen, et al., “Perceptions of Climate Change,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , August 2012 – Updated 2016

4. Summer Temperatures Have Shifted
2005 – 2015
Cooler than average
Baseline ( ) mean
Average
The “extreme” temperature events used to cover 0.1% of the Earth. Now they cover 14.5%.
Warmer than average
Extremely hot
Frequency of Occurrence
ID # Can be used in noncommercial online and TV broadcasts of your presentation, but not modified.
DESCRIPTION: Graph of the frequency of cool, average and warm summer temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, (compared to a base period). The horizontal axis is in units of local standard deviation.
ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS: In just the past three decades, hot summers have become much more frequent and cold summers much less frequent. If we keep polluting at normal rates, the “extreme” temperatures we’re experiencing now will very likely become the norm over the next 50 years and the hottest temperatures more common.*
REFERENCES: 
* James Hansen et al., “Perception of climate change,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (August 6, 2012). -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6
Deviation from Mean
Source: NASA/GISS; Hansen, et al., “Perceptions of Climate Change,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , August 2012 – Updated 2016

5. Heat related mortality likely to double by 2050, with low-income and vulnerable most at risk
Address impacts to public safety, emergency response, and healthcare.

6. Hotter temperatures mean more air pollution
Source: Climate Central

7. Projected health impact in 2025 of smog/ozone
Source: Gasping for Breath report by Clean Air Task Force with CSU researchers

8. 50% of Denver homes do not have air conditioning

9. Access to Health is not Equal

10. Extreme Heat Vulnerabilities
Extreme Heat Vulnerability Index
Value Added Data
Data to use and build a common understanding.

11. Extreme Heat Vulnerability Index
Built Environment
Impervious surfaces ~urban heat build up
Tree Canopy
Demographic/Socioeconomic
Vehicle access
Linguistic isolation
Race
Age
Educational attainment
Household isolation
Poverty

12. Extreme Heat Vulnerability Index (cont.)
Health
Cognitive disabilities
Cognitive disabilities among the elderly
Ambulatory disabilities
Prevalence of diabetes

13. Vulnerability Index

14. Collaborate with other agencies: Changing the Context
Where we live, eat, work, play, study, pray
Social-economic Factors
Poverty
Education
Age
Race/Ethnicity
Individual Behaviors
Physical Activity
Healthy Eating
Tobacco
Mobility
Food Access
Parks
Housing
Safety –Vision Zero, safe places
Environmental Quality
Community Health

15. Equity in All Policies
The goal is for the tool to provide a framework for collective action to target resources for the most at risk communities.
Blueprint Denver
Game Plan Denver
Denver Pedestrian and Trail Plan
Neighborhood Plans (5 yr effort)
Denver Transit Plan

16. Inserting Climate Change into Programs

18. Community Denver Digs Trees Safe Spaces for activity / transportation
Solar (GRID Alternatives)
Westwood
Transportation Alternatives
Community Activation

19. Thank you!
Michele Shimomura