CLIMATE AND HEALTH
At WPSR, we believe that the climate crisis is among
the gravest threats to human health of our time.
Climate change poses a profound and unequal threat to human health, with frontline communities— including low-income neighborhoods; Black, Indigenous, Latine/Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities; rural and coastal populations; and children and older adults—facing heightened exposure to climate-related hazards and bearing the earliest and most severe burdens. The World Health Organization estimates that climate change will cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths each year between 2030 and 2050, alongside billions of dollars in economic losses.
Addressing these health threats requires urgent action. Policies must rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit worsening floods, heat waves, wildfires, droughts, storms, and hurricanes. Equally important is investing in community-level resilience—ensuring that the most vulnerable communities receive the resources and support needed for effective mitigation and adaptation. Protecting human health in a warming world demands coordinated efforts at individual, local, national, and global levels.
We represent the trusted health voice in fighting
the causes - and addressing the impacts - of climate change.
WPSR’s Climate and Health Task Force is composed of over 30 healthcare professionals and community members with one mission: taking action to address the climate crisis. We meet monthly to organize and take action to support the issues we consider most important, and where we believe we can have the most significant impact. Our statewide constituency of thousands also contributes to our work by speaking out about climate policy during the legislative session, and throughout the year. Our Task Force Members:
Lobby elected officials to take action on greenhouse gas emissions, harmful pollutants, and dangerous pipelines
Write groundbreaking reports on the health impacts of climate change and ballot initiatives
Testify in front of committees, commissions, and councils, and educate other health professionals and the general public
Appear in podcasts, videos, television, and news articles discussing the negative health impacts of the climate crisis
The health implications of climate change:
Today’s impacts on public health will worsen without action.
The burning of fossil fuels is a major source of air pollution and the primary driver of climate change. Fossil fuel emissions contribute to both global warming and widespread health harms. Climate change affects human health in many ways:
Heat-related illness and death, including heat stroke, hyperthermia, adverse birth outcomes, worsening of chronic diseases, and increased suicide risk.
Poor air quality, which contributes to millions of deaths each year and is linked to cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, cancer, dementia, and neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Infectious disease spread, as warming temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns expand the habitats of disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes that transmit malaria, dengue, and Zika virus.
Food and water insecurity, driven by drought, flooding, and declining crop yields, which increase the risk of malnutrition and diarrheal diseases.
Healthcare disruption, including delayed care and reduced access during climate-driven disasters.
Mental health impacts, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, and loss of social support following extreme weather events, displacement, and environmental degradation.
These harms disproportionately affect those already facing social, economic, and environmental inequities. Weather-related disasters can deepen poverty, force migration, and compound trauma.
Learn more about the climate & health
issues we work on
Latest News & Updates
EPA Deregulations and Attacks on Public Health: Read our explainer
Calling on PHMSA to meet expectations on pipeline safety: WPSR, alongside members of the Stop Northwest Gas Expansion coalition, sent a letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), citing recent concerns from Senator Cantwell on the PHMSA’s conduction of pipeline safety inspections, which are not meeting expectations. Press Release | Read the full letter
Plastics Can Harm Our Health: Dr. Mark Vossler joined Rep. Liz Berry, Sen. Liz Lovelett, and Zero Waste Washington at a press conference in Olympia in January to discuss the impacts of plastics on human health and the need for recycling reform to keep Washingtonians healthy and protected. Read More | Keep up with our Legislative Work
GTN Xpress Expansion - A Human Health Failure: A report has revealed significant safety concerns along the Gas Transmission Northwest (GTN) Xpress pipeline, leading the company to reduce natural gas flows. The incident follows warnings from a former inspector about corrosion and damage. Details are limited, leaving communities in the dark about potential risks. The Stop GTN Xpress coalition, which opposes the pipeline's expansion, is calling for increased transparency, reforms to safety reporting, and a shift toward safer, renewable energy solutions. Read more | Keep up with WPSR’s Work on Fossil Fuels | Take Action