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Writer's pictureKayley Weeks

Addressing the Health Risks of Climate Change: A Reflection on My Service Term

Kayley Weeks shares her insights from Dr.Shah’s discussion on September 13, 2024, about the urgent health risks of climate change, including extreme heat, infectious diseases, and natural disasters. She reflects on her service term to emphasize that bridging science with practical solutions, innovative outreach, and strong leadership is crucial for addressing these challenges and building resilient communities.



Dr. Shah, Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, joined One Climate Future to discuss the intersection of climate change and public health. He emphasized the impact of climate change on health and the urgent need for action.

Dr. Shah began by stating, "high temperatures are one of the most significant threats when we consider climate change." Even a slight increase in temperature can put vulnerable Mainers at risk for heat-related illnesses and even death. In fact, extreme heat causes more deaths nationwide than any other weather event. He also addressed the equity concerns associated with high heat, highlighting the physical and financial disparities that put certain populations at greater risk.


Next, he discussed the increased risks of infectious diseases due to climate change, including tick-borne illnesses, mosquito-borne diseases, and fungal infections.

Followed by the rising frequency of natural disasters, sharing that in 2023, a record 25 natural disasters were recorded, up by 7 from 2022. It’s predicted that as temperatures continue to rise, the frequency of natural disasters will also increase.

Additionally, he explained how wildfires affect air quality and the long-term health impacts observed by physicians, which can harm various body systems, including the heart, lungs and cognitive functions.


Finally, Dr. Shah emphasized that climate change affects public health both physically and mentally. Studies show that young people are particularly worried about how climate change will affect their futures. He pointed out that while data and facts alone are often insufficient to drive meaningful behavioral change, people are more likely to respond to compelling stories. Nonetheless, these stories should be supported by scientific evidence. Leaders and managers play a crucial role in using both stories and science to shift public understanding and drive effective action.


The discussion then opened for questions from the community. Some of the responses directly connected to the work I've been doing with the City of Portland Sustainability Office during my 9-month service term.


Julie Rosenbach, South Portland's Sustainability Director, discussed the initiatives of the Portland and South Portland Sustainability Offices to educate residents about and connect them with affordable heat pumps. She also highlighted a challenge faced by South Portland: although the city has opened cooling centers to the public, they are frequently underutilized until it's too late. Julie asked about initiatives to decentralize cooling efforts and deploy them to the locations where they are needed most.


Dr. Shah didn't have an immediate answer to Julie’s question, but he acknowledged that reliable transportation often poses a barrier to accessing cooling centers. He also noted that Julie’s question highlighted concerns about policy issues related to decentralized versus centralized cooling.


A community member suggested adjusting the marketing of the cooling centers to avoid making people who need them feel stigmatized. He proposed hosting community events, such as games or readings, on hot days to encourage use of the cooling centers.


Dr. Shah expressed that future climate adaptation will require extensive marketing strategies to influence behavioral changes. Scientists, however, are not typically skilled in these types of interactions.


During my service term, rolling out the Electrify Everything: DIY Electrify program was challenging at times. I had difficulty strategizing a good way to motivate residents to weatherize their homes or upgrade their appliances.


Bridging the skill gap in marketing for climate and public health professionals will be crucial for future efforts. In effort to strategically promote DIY Electrify I attended a community barbeque with Avesta Housing residents, and community picnics with Wayside Food Programs.Community partnerships are also an essential function of strategic marketing. Leveraging social networks is one possible way to reach a target audience.


Another community member asked Dr. Shah what Maine can learn from other states. Dr. Shah highlighted that Maine could gain valuable insights from other coastal states on managing flooding, including strategies for the acute phase of response, emergency evacuation, and recovery aspects such as water quality, water testing, contaminants, the rise of infectious diseases, fungal infections, and overall recovery.


I also worked on a city resilience planning project for the City of Portland, which aims to integrate adaptation, storm response, emergency response, and recovery. Since Portland often lacks the resources to launch new projects, I spent time during my service term gathering necessary information to help the City seek future funding for this initiative. Part of this initiative involved working collaboratively across City departments, intending on an interdisciplinary approach to the City Resilience Plan.


Troy Moon, Portland’s Sustainability Director, asked Dr. Shah for recommendations on collaboration. Dr. Shah stated strong political leadership is crucial for successful collaborative efforts. He noted that large institutions, whether governmental or non-governmental, often suffer from siloed operations, but this is a challenge that can be addressed and overcome with intentional effort.


Dr. Shah's discussion highlighted the urgent intersection of climate change and public health, revealing the profound risks posed by rising temperatures, increased infectious diseases, and frequent natural disasters. His emphasis on equity marks the need to address the disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations, while his call for compelling communication strategies highlights the importance of combining scientific evidence with effective storytelling to drive action. As communities seek to adapt, decentralized cooling solutions and innovative outreach efforts will be crucial, with strong political leadership playing a key role in overcoming institutional barriers and fostering collaboration.


A recording of Dr. Shah’s full discussion, "The Unseen Changes of a Warmer Climate," is available here.


About Kayley

Kayley grew up in Windham, ME. She recently graduated from the University of Southern Maine, where she received a B.A. in Environmental Planning and Policy. While in school, Kayley served as the Executive Board Chair of USM’s Outdoor Adventure Board, providing equitable outdoor recreational opportunities to collegiate students. She completed her internship at Rbouvier Consulting, where she engaged in data management and analysis for projects related to the environment, economics, and sustainability. Post-graduation, Kayley worked as an administrative assistant at Hancock County Planning Commission, where she managed communications, membership dues, and other administrative tasks. She is a member of the Kappa Alpha Omicron Honor Society within the Interdisciplinary Environmental Association, a growing community dedicated to furthering the understanding of environmental challenges. During her free time, she enjoys trail running, indoor cycling, reading, and coffee. Kayley is excited to bring her passion for social justice and sustainability to her role, actively contributing to positive change in the community.

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