Xavier Becerra, the secretary of health and human services and a 2021 Wash100 Award winner, and Adm. Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health, have issued statements that support a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The IPCC report titled “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” presents how climate change can affect both physical and mental health, the Department of Health and Human Services said Sunday.
The report assesses climate change impacts against non-climatic global trends, such as the pandemic, economic inequalities, rapid urbanization, biodiversity loss and the unsustainable consumption of natural resources.
“This report makes it clear that the choices we make now will determine the future of our health and the health of the world; highlighting both the mental and physical health effects of climate change, which are often overlooked,” Levine stated.
“HHS is committed to using every tool available to protect the health of our nation from the devastating effects of climate change,” said Becerra.