Summary

  • A report by ProPublica has revealed that the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has given instructions to staff that effectively put a stop to funding for any new research into how climate change impacts human health.
  • It is not yet clear whether the directive will affect existing grants.
  • Last month, it was reported that the Department of Health and Human Services had already halted funding for three NIH programmes investigating the relationship between climate and health.
  • Public health advocates have said the moves put Americans at risk of the health effects of extreme weather events made worse by climate change. -Juan Declet-Barreto, a climate vulnerability scientist, said the decisions were an “attack on our health and the science that keeps us protected”.
  • Children born in 2024 can expect to experience poorer air quality, hotter days and disruptions to their social and community life as a result of climate change, according to The Lancet.

By Justine Calma

Original Article