The climate crisis is also a health crisis. 

The science is clear: human-caused climate change is causing severe damage to Earth’s life-support systems. Without ambitious action, the climate crisis threatens global mass extinction, the loss of entire ways of life, and an uncertain future for humanity on a drastically altered planet.

Yet, every challenge presents an opportunity. By taking decisive action on climate change, we can protect both human and planetary health while creating a healthier future for all. We have the chance to make our air cleaner and more breathable, our energy systems more resilient and inclusive, and our communities more equitable.

Learn more about CAPE’s Healthy Futures Climate Program and the many ways you can act on climate change. Click below to explore our campaigns:

• Code Red for Climate: A call for urgent climate action
• Stand up for a clean, reliable electricity grid for all people in Canada
• Take action for a strong cap on oil and gas pollution

Riverdale Park, Toronto, Ontario | By James Thomas on Unsplash

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls climate change the biggest health threat facing humanity. Climate affects health at multiple levels. At the most basic, it leads to death and illness from extreme heat, drought, floods, disrupted food systems and increases in diseases. But because of its all-encompassing impacts, climate also affects the social determinants of health, such as social supports, access to jobs and access to health care. 

These costs are borne disproportionately by vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. At the international level, some of the world’s least developed countries are being hit hardest by climate disruptions, and are least able to cope and adapt. Here at home, climate impacts have a disproportionate impact on systematically disadvantaged groups and people with underlying health conditions.

Through the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading climate scientists have made it clear: the global community must enact urgent changes by 2030 to keep global heating to no more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Recognizing the importance of international climate targets, we know that every action that lowers global heating can prevent drought, floods, heat and poverty threatening hundreds of millions of people.

The situation may seem dire, but there is plenty of hope if you know where to look. The story of humanity’s engagement with the climate crisis is still being written, and the most important chapters are ahead of us. At CAPE, we know there is a major role for the Canadian public and policymakers in tackling this challenge. We also believe that physicians and healthcare professionals, whose work focuses on health, have a unique and important perspective to share. Working together, we see many opportunities to better human health by protecting the planet. In fact, if Canada meets its climate targets, we will save an estimated 112,000 lives between 2030 and 2050 due to air quality improvements alone.

We can do this together.

CAPE’s Healthy Futures Climate Program is composed of various initiatives. Click on each of the links below to learn more and find out how to get involved.

Our mitigation campaign works to tackle climate emissions and engage in the clean energy transition. This includes work to:

• Stand up for a clean, reliable electricity grid for all Canadians
• Take action for a strong cap on oil and gas pollution

Our adaptation campaign seeks to build resilience and protect people in Canada from climate change’s growing impacts. (More information coming soon.)

Our international campaign aims to get Canada to deliver on its United Nations climate commitments and lead in the global fight against the climate crisis. (More information coming soon.)