Environmental Justice, Climate Action, and Health

This introductory course will examine how policy decisions have contributed to environmental degradation, air pollution, and anthropogenetic climate change which exacerbates existing health inequities across the globe. It will introduce the topic of environmental justice and through a number of health-related case studies, provide a brief overview of complex planetary health interactions with health equity across different geographies. It is intended to be accessible to a broad audience and extend beyond describing health challenges to provide a brief overview of the environmental justice movement and how climate action at the local, national and global levels can offer a path forward.  Through a series of lectures and conversations with practitioners, the course will address how health care professionals and public health researchers can engage with policy makers to better communicate urgency and provide solutions that advance health equity. It will also offer some strategies and tools for effective community organizing and clear science communication on environmental justice and climate action. Course Requirements: Course Restricted: Course open to MPH-GEN students only