The Department of Health and Human Services' focus on climate resilience is insufficient to address the extensive health impacts of climate change.
David Introcaso writes for Undark Magazine.
In short:
- The HHS Climate Action Plan emphasizes resilience without adequately addressing prevention.
- Resilience policies overlook the pervasive and constant health threats posed by climate change.
- The approach may lead to accepting climate disasters as inevitable, rather than preventable.
Key quote:
"Resilience is the categorical imperative of business-as-usual; it is crisis managers buying time. For others, resilience is exhausting."
— Ajay Singh Chaudhary, author of The Exhausted of the Earth.
Why this matters:
Focusing solely on resilience without prevention leaves populations, especially the vulnerable, in perpetual danger. This approach risks normalizing climate disasters instead of aiming to mitigate them.
Relevant EHN coverage:
