Transitioning from climate ambitions to climate actions through public health policy initiatives

Policies to implement climate-forcing pollution emission reductions have often been stymied by economic and political divisiveness. However, certain uncontested nonregret public health policies that also carry climate-forcing cobenefits with them could provide more achievable policy pathways to accelerate the implementation of climate mitigation. An International Society for Environmental Epidemiology Policy Committee endorsed pre-28th Conference of the Parties climate meeting workshop brought together experts on environment, diet, civic planning, and health to review current understanding of public health policy approaches that provide climate change mitigation cobenefits by also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Promising public health policy areas identified as also providing climate mitigation cobenefits included: improving air quality through stronger regulation of harmful combustion-related air pollutants, advancing healthier plant-based public food procurement programs, promoting more sustainable transport options, developing healthier infrastructure (e.g., combustion-free buildings), and reducing the use of climate forcing substances in healthcare. It is concluded that cities, states, and nations, when aided by involved health professionals, can advance many practical public health, diet, and civic planning policies to improve health and well-being that will also serve to translate climate mitigation ambitions into action.