As a practicing physician, I see the effects of climate change
playing out in my patients on every shift. I admit severely
dehydrated newborns and outdoor workers and athletes with kidney
injury during severe heat waves, children with asthma exacerbations
during wildfire season, and more and more premature births and low
birthweight infants are born on my watch because of the effects of
heat and air pollution on adverse birth outcomes. My Black and
brown patients are the worst affected--they are more likely to live
close to industrial areas of pollution that makes them more
vulnerable and this environmental risk is compounded by racism and
poverty that negatively impact their health.
California has the opportunity to be a true leader and commit to
its goals by conducting a public health equity analysis to
prioritize scoping plan strategies, prioritize direct emissions
reductions (and fully coordinate the phase out of oil and gas
extraction by 2035, oil refining by 2045, and a rapid transition to
a zero-emission transportation system by 2035), eliminate cap and
trade, minimize the use of false solutions such as carbon capture,
and provide community investments in the frontline communities that
have been exposed to the worst pollution.
There is no excuse at this moment in history--we have the
abundance of evidence on the multitude of harms that the burning of
fossil fuels causes. We have the technology to transition us off
this foul and polluting energy source. And we have the public will
and commitment to make this transition quickly. Now we need those
in power to do the right thing.
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