Grapevine

Cities unprepared for impact of climate change, says report

Half of the world's population lives in cities, and that proportion is expected to increase to 70% by 2050. With their large populations, lack of green spaces that can cool a warming environment, and aging infrastructure that is vulnerable to floods and other extreme weather, many of the world's cities are unprepared for climate change.

Proactive action is needed to make cities more resilient to climate change and capable of protecting community health, according to a new report released today (Sept. 26) by the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH), the Resilient Cities Network, and The Rockefeller Foundation.

The report, "Urban Pulse: Identifying Resilience Solutions at the Intersection of Climate, Health, and Equity," is based on a survey of nearly 200 city leaders in 118 cities and 52 countries about their preparedness for responding to climate-related health threats.

Less than half of the cities reported having a climate resilience plan, and only one in four indicated that their plan addressed climate and health. The research was funded by The Rockefeller Foundation, which also announced today that it will invest more than $1 million to help cities implement the report's recommendations. The announcement was made during Climate Week NYC.

The Urban Pulse report highlights the need for city leaders to recognize the impact of climate change on residents' health, including mental health, "through resources, infrastructure, and collaboration to ensure that these profound threats have been limited," said Jeannette Ickovics, the lead author of the report and the Samuel and Liselotte Herman Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences at YSPH.