The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

CBS News reported today that “Children may be especially vulnerable to the effects of global warming” according to The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP).  An AAP news release states that ”Children are often most vulnerable to adverse health effects from environmental hazards because they are not fully developed physically and psychologically.”

According to the news release, the AAP has concluded both a technical report and a policy statement to outline how climate change impacts child health.  AAP is asking pediatricians to understand the threats climate change poses for children and advocate for strategies that will lessen the effects.

Chair of the AAP Committee on Environmental Health, Dr. Helen J. Binns, stated that “This is a call for us to look at how climate change may be impacted by what we do as an organization, what we do in our personal business and what we do in our home life.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics, which is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians and pediatric specialists, are being advised “to advocate and support policies that strengthen public transportation, expand green spaces and reward energy efficiency.”

It is clear that climate change is an issue for more than just environmentally-minded voters.  Any presidential candidate who is concerned about child health and American family values must take into consideration how climate change is impacting America’s children and families.