The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment

The U.S. Global Change Research Program has released a new scientific assessment examining the climate-induced impacts on human health in the United States. The report categorized seven genres of human health risks due to climate change: temperature related death and illness, air quality impacts, extreme events, vector-borne diseases, water-related illnesses, food safety/nutrition/distribution, and mental health/wellbeing. The Puget Sound was mentioned under the "water-related illnesses" section concerning Harmful Algal Blooms as a source of human health risk. Additionally, other parts of the Northwestern U.S. were mentioned under droughts and the spread of fungal diseases. The assessment concluded by highlighting populations of concern, as the health risks vary between groups across the U.S.