Climate Change, Health, and Health Equity – Project Wrap-up

For the last 2 years, we at CHASE – Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity, have worked to build capacity within the pubic health sector on the strategies that can be used to fight climate change while promoting health and health equity.

We produced 14 brief case studies that examined the strategies – employed by 10 public health agencies, 2 municipalities, and 2 NGOs – to develop or support the development of walkable neighbourhoods, active transportation infrastructure, public transit service, green buildings, building retrofits, and/or green space, in their communities.

We convened 4 peer-to-peer webinars that featured speakers from 10 of our case studies to share with professionals in public health, the municipal sector, and community groups, the strategies employed, the challenges faced, and the lessons learned while working to create healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable communities.

We also produced a report that discusses the public health strategies being employed by those interviewed, and presents evidence that the five local climate solutions targeted can produce health and health equity benefits while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

We did this work in collaboration with the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the Ontario Public Health Association, with on-going advice offered by Ronald Macfarlane, Amanda Mongeon, Jade Yehia, Carol Mee, and Helen Doyle, and with the support of 18 professionals who shared their work experience in interviews and/or webinars.

Thanks to the generous financial support of the McConnell Foundation, our 14 case studies were viewed by over 80,000 people, nearly 2,000 people participated in or viewed our 4 webinars, and hundreds downloaded our report.

You can check out our case studies and report in French and English and our webinars at: https://chasecanada.org/public-health-addressing-health-health-equity-and-climate-change/