The Climate Change Connection to U.S. Public Health

Climate change increases human health risks in the U.S. through more intense heat waves, prolonged wildfire seasons, and severe flooding that compromises water quality. Specific examples include the increased likelihood of drought conditions similar to those seen in Texas in 2011 and the lengthening of allergy seasons.

• Climate change exacerbates human health threats through a range of factors, including more frequent and intense extreme weather, diminished air and water quality, and a higher risk of disease.
• A warming climate has increased the probability of extreme drought; specifically, the conditions that caused the 2011 Texas drought are now 20 times more likely than they were in the 1960s due to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Environmental changes driven by warming temperatures are impacting public health via longer wildfire seasons that reduce air quality, extreme precipitation that causes sewage overflows into waterways, and extended allergy seasons that affect people with respiratory issues.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). The Climate Change Connection to U.S. Public Health. https://www.wri.org/research/climate-change-connection-us-public-health

Chicago

World Resources Institute. The Climate Change Connection to U.S. Public Health. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/climate-change-connection-us-public-health.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=The Climate Change Connection to U.S. Public Health |url=https://www.wri.org/research/climate-change-connection-us-public-health |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendclimate, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{The Climate Change Connection to U.S. Public Health}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/climate-change-connection-us-public-health}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }