Participation by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in last fall’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) represents an important milestone in the U.S. health sector’s work to protect the health of U.S. residents amidst the climate crisis. By joining the COP26 Health Program, we made specific commitments to resilience in our communities and decarbonization in our health systems that signal a new era for our agencies, for federal health care providers, and for stakeholders throughout the health care industry.1 Closely aligned with the Biden administration’s goal of achieving a 50-to-52% national reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and associated commitments to decarbonization in federal facilities and procurement, as well as the administration’s focus on racial and social equity, these pledges demonstrate the urgency with which we are confronting the single greatest threat to global health in the 21st century. . .
Visit NEJM.org for the full article.
