Institutional Opportunities for Action
Businesses, educational centers, healthcare and other sectors can engage in climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment
"Re-stabilization of earth’s climate is the defining challenge of the 21st century. The unprecedented scale and speed of global warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects threatens the viability of civilization. The scientific consensus is that society must reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases by at least 80% by mid-century at the latest, in order to avert the worst impacts of global warming and to reestablish the more stable climatic conditions that have made human progress over the last 10,000 years possible. Without preventing the worst aspects of climate disruption, we cannot hope to deal with the other social, health and economic challenges that society is facing and will face in the future."
Is your college or university a signatory? Find out at www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/signatories/list/state
Locally, these higher education institutions have signed on. Congratulations for being part of the solution!
Bryn Mawr College
Bucknell University
Dickinson College
Eastern University
Franklin & Marshall College
Harrisburg Area Community College
Haverford College
Juniata College
Keystone College
Lafayette College
Messiah College
Montgomery County Community College
Penn State Berks
Rosemont College
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Temple University
The University of the Arts
University of Pennsylvania
Ursinus College
Villanova University
WHEN at Pennsylvania Public Health Association Conference
WHEN presented a poster presentation on climate change and mitigation actions.
Healthcare Sector is Part of the Solution
Health Care Sector Leaders Urge Obama to Deliver “Prescription for Healthy Planet” to Reduce Health Effects of Climate Change
New York Times Ad on November 18, 2009, Warns: “Climate Change May Be Hazardous to Your Health”
(Washington, DC) One month before climate change talks begin in Copenhagen, leaders of the nation’s health care sector are calling on President Obama to put public health at the forefront of climate negotiations.
The Prescription advocated by the groups outlines four “remedies” for reducing the health effects of climate change.
1. Protect Public Health: Health concerns must be central to the climate treaty.
2. Reduce Emissions: The Copenhagen accord must set strong targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions well below 1990 levels.
3. Promote Clean Energy: The treaty needs to foster energy efficiency as well as clean, renewable energy which improves public health by reducing both local and global pollution.
4. Finance Global Action: World leaders should mandate international funding so that developing countries can address the climate crisis.
The Health Care Improvement Foundation, Philadelphia, was one of the signers. Has your hospital taken action? We can help.
Tools & Resources
• Addressing Climate Change in the Health Care Setting: Opportunities for Action
• American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/)
• The Climate Health Online Community is a social networking site for Health Care without Harm’s Climate Workgroup that integrates news, events, campaigns, and relevant issues concerning climate and health (www.usclimatehealth.org).
