Tulane SPHTM joins National Academy of Medicine climate initiative

Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine has joined more than 150 other organizations like the Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) in prioritizing climate and health initiatives through a campaign administered by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).

NAM’s “Accelerate the National Climate and Health Movement” initiative looks to capitalize on the current groundswell of health-related organizations studying the interrelation of climate and health.

The goal is to accelerate climate action across the health sector to improve health outcomes for communities across the country which are already experiencing such climate effects as excessive heat, air pollution, and extreme weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires.

"Climate change is an existential threat to humanity, and Louisiana is in one of the most fragile locations on the planet," says Dr. Thomas A. LaVeist, dean of the school. "Our community and the Gulf Coast foreshadow what we can expect in other parts of the country and the globe, so it is incumbent upon us to be a vital part of this important movement."

Dr. Melissa Gonzales, chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, is tasked with building out the Climate Change and Health hub at the Tulane School of Public Health. 

"Within the past year, we hired Dr. Mostifijur Rahman, a leading voice in the discussion on climate change-related exposures and public health. We also held our first Climate Change and Health Symposium and plan to hold the next one on Earth Day 2025. As a school, we share the Academy’s commitment to address the health impacts of climate change to strengthen sustainability and resilience."

As a member of the consortium, Tulane researchers can help develop a roadmap for system transformation and help accelerate research and innovation at the intersection of climate, health, and equity.