As of 2013, climate change is considered a determinant of health by the World Health Organization. While all New Brunswickers are vulnerable to climate change, it has an increased impact on those most at risk and living with pre-existing conditions.  These vulnerable groups include:

• people aged 65 and older 
• young children (4 years and under)
• people living in poverty and housing insecurity
• newcomers
• people with disabilities
• outdoor workers
• people with pre-existing and chronic health conditions 

New Brunswick’s climate hazard projections include : 

• increases in average annual temperatures 
• more intense and frequent extreme weather events 
• changes in precipitation leading to more droughts
• more heat waves, sea level rise 
• an increase in vector-borne diseases carried by pests (such as ticks and mosquitoes) 
  
   

From early 2019 to March 2022, Public Health New Brunswick participated in one of ten projects funded by Health Canada to undertake climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessments.  
 
The project’s  main objective is to build capacity at all levels (local, regional, and provincial) to help communities identify, and take action to help lessen the population health effects of climate change. 

The tools offered in this section below will assist the province, the health systems, and other communities in understanding the human health impacts of climate change, demonstrate how to establish baseline indicators for community health, and provide guidance on adaptation measures.

NB Infographic - This infographic is meant to inspire as it illustrates ways that adaptive communities can reduce climate change impacts on health using simple messaging related to climate exposure risks (water quality, extreme temperatures, extreme weather, vector-borne diseases, UV radiation, air quality, food insecurity) as well as mental health and social inequities

CCHVAA presentation (PDF) - A slide deck presentation to learn more about climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessments.

International :

• The 2021 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: code red for a healthy future - The Lancet (Oct 2021)
• IPCC- Human Health : Impacts, Adaptation, and co-Benefits
• WHO- Climate change and health – Key facts
• WHO-Protecting Health from Climate Change- Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment

National :

• Government of Canada : Health of Canadians in a changing climate : advancing our knowledge for action. (Feb. 2022)
• Canadian climate institute - The Health Costs of Climate Change (June 2021)
• Canadian Public Health Association – Climate Change and Human Health
• CAPE Canada – Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals – Climate Change Solutions with Immediate Health Benefits
• Canadian Medical Association- Climate change and health
• Canadian Centre for Climate Services
• Climate Data for a Resilient Canada
• National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) Program - Air Quality Health Index info at community level:  

Provincial :

• Climate Change - Environment and Local Government (gnb.ca)
• Healthy Climate, Healthy New Brunswickers : A proposal for New Brunswick that cuts pollution and protects health
• Community level climate change projections in New Brunswick  “Climate change projections by community” by the Commission de services régionaux Nord-Ouest (CSRNO) as their baseline projections (RCP4.5/8.5) https://csrno.ca/climat/

Au Québec (en français seulement) :

• Livre Changements climatiques et santé. Prévenir, soigner et s’adapter (février 2019). (En français seulement)
• Institut national de santé publique du Québec : Mon climat, ma santé – pour mieux s’adapter aux changements climatiques (en français seulement)
• Atlas de vulnérabilité aux changements climatiques (en français seulement)
• Trousse d’outils pour réduire les impacts psychosociaux des populations touchées par des événements météorologiques extrêmes (en français seulement)