An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
New Report Demonstrates Impact of Climate Change on Mental and Physical Health
Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and the Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Rachel Levine, issued the following statements in response to a new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report showing climate change's current and future impacts on physical and mental health.
Released early this morning, the IPCC report underscores the need for HHS’s new Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE), which is led by Admiral Levine and focused on addressing the impact of climate change on the health of all Americans.
“People across our nation are suffering right now as a result of surging floods and storms, devastating wildfires, and relentless heatwaves, and they don’t have the luxury of ignoring the climate crisis,” said Secretary Becerra. “This report confirms that those who lack proper infrastructure and basic health services suffer most from changing climatic conditions. HHS is committed to using every tool available to protect the health of our nation from the devastating effects of climate change.”
“This report makes it clear that the choices we make now will determine the future of our health and the health of the world; highlighting both the mental and physical health effects of climate change, which are often overlooked,” said ADM Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS. “I am proud of the work HHS is doing to protect and promote human health in the face of climate change, and to build more sustainable and climate resilient health systems.”
For general media inquiries, please contact media@hhs.gov.
Content created by Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Content last reviewed
Disclaimer Policy: Links with this icon () mean that you are leaving the HHS website.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cannot guarantee the accuracy of a non-federal website.
Linking to a non-federal website does not mean that HHS or its employees endorse the sponsors, information, or products presented on the website. HHS links outside of itself to provide you with further information.
You will be bound by the destination website's privacy policy and/or terms of service when you follow the link.
HHS is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on private websites.
For more information on HHS's web notification policies, see Website Disclaimers.