2. Threats to Public Health

More than half of participants indicate that extreme heat events, storms, flooding, and increasing air temperatures are of the biggest concern with respect to climate change (Figure 7). Among state public health officials, changes in precipitation amount and timing, extreme heat events, and wildfire rank as the highest concerns.

Figure 7.

Of the most likely impacts on public health and healthcare services, illnesses and fatalities related to air quality, heat, and vector- and water-borne diseases are most frequently expressed by health professionals (Figure 8). Among state public health officials, air quality, heat-related illness and/or death, vector-borne disease, and displacement of individuals and communities rank as the highest concerns.

Figure 8.