Climate change is fundamentally caused by human behavior and impacts every facet of human health and healthcare delivery. As the premier society that examines health and behavior, we have the unique responsibility and capability to address this existential threat to human health.
Through SBM’s 2019-20 Provocative Questions initiative, led by then-President Michael Diefenbach, PhD, members and others in the field identified climate change as the most pressing issue that should be addressed in the next 20 years. Climate change and health is now one of SBM’s policy advocacy priority areas. Our policy ambassadors educate lawmakers about evidence-based behavioral ways to mitigate climate change and its adverse effects on health, particularly for vulnerable populations. SBM’s strategic plan calls for enhanced partnership with other organizations focused on climate change and carbon reduction. Other SBM climate-related activities are detailed below.
