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Fossil-Fuel Pollution and Climate Change – A New NEJM Group Series

06/15/2022 | New England Journal of Medicine

To call attention to rising global greenhouse gas emissions that harm our health, Dr. Renee Salas, our Yerby Fellow and ClimateMD leader, co-authored an editorial in NEJM announcing a broad effort by the journal to address the health consequences of air pollution and climate change.

Dr. Salas and her co-authors notably write, “The primary barrier to an equitable transition away from coal, oil, and natural gas is a lack of political will, underpinned by the influence of the fossil-fuel industry.”

NEJMs goals are to:

  • Inform clinicians and health system administrators about the consequences of fossil-fuel extraction and use that are increasingly affecting patients and care delivery systems
  • Provide information about effective strategies for reducing the associated risks
  • Clarify the roles of the medical and public health sectors in addressing this crisis and stimulate research to guide the development of equitable adaptation and mitigation policies

NEJM is committing to:

  • Publish at least one article in a NEJM Group journal each month related to fossil-fuel–driven health harms and will subsequently plan ongoing coverage of related content
  • Further engage trainees and educators through their Resident 360 website, which is launching a discussion about incorporating a climate lens into medical training
  • Encourage submissions for this series, especially — but not limited to — high-quality original research

The initiative is launching with articles addressing different aspects of this unprecedented challenge in each of the NEJM journals.

Read the editorial

'We Don't Have To Live This Way': Doctors Call For Climate Action

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Strategies for the surgical, obstetric, and anaesthesia community to sustainably scale up SOA care to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address health equity and social justice issues.

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A pathway to net zero emissions for healthcare

Dr. Renee Salas charts a path to net zero emissions for healthcare.

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New framework can teach medical residents how climate changes affects health, clinical care, and health care delivery.

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The climate crisis and COVID-19—A major threat to the pandemic response

Strategies for local communities and states to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission during climate-related extreme events like heat waves, hurricanes, and wildfires.

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Climate Change and Cancer

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The climate crisis and clinical practice

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Climate change threatens the achievement of effective universal healthcare

Minimizing the health harms of climate change will only be achieved through an integrated agenda and aligned solutions.

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Combating EPA rollbacks — Health care’s response to a retreat on climate

Our Director Gina McCarthy and Co-director Dr. Aaron Bernstein on the many things the healthcare sector can do to fight the climate crisis.

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Our Co-Director Dr. Aaron Bernstein and Research Fellow Dr. Renee Salas share insight into how the climate crisis threatens public health and complicates healthcare.

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Our Co-Director Dr. Aaron Bernstein discusses the effects of extreme heat on vulnerable populations, particularly those on medication.

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Gina McCarthy Is Fired Up About Climate Change and Public Health

Explores the links between climate change and health, including who is most vulnerable and how healthcare will be impacted by climate change.

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Climate change threatens public health and doctors’ ability to provide care

Dr. Ari Bernstein writes about how climate change compromises healthcare providers' abilities to care for their patients in this op-ed.

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How Climate Change Is Challenging American Health Care

Our Director Gina McCarthy and Research Fellow Renee Salas on the 2018 Lancet’s report on climate and health.

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Alcohol: Balancing Risks and Benefits

Moderate drinking can be healthy—but not for everyone. You must weigh the risks and benefits. –Introduction –What's Moderate Alcohol Intake? What's a Drink? –The Downside of Alcohol –Possible Health Benefits of Alcohol –Genes Play a Role –Shifting Benefits and Risks –The Bottom Line: Balancing Risks and Benefits Introduction Throughout the 10,000 or so years that…

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Dr. Renee Salas

Renee N. Salas MD, MPH, MS

Renee's work focuses on the intersection of the climate crisis, health, and healthcare delivery.

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