Climate change threatens our health in multiple ways. First, heat waves can cause heat stroke and can kill. In fact, heat waves are a leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. Anyone can be affected by extreme heat, but certain groups are most at risk: older adults, young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases. People who work outdoors are also highly vulnerable, including first responders, construction workers, athletes, and agricultural workers.

Climate change also worsens air quality. Whether it’s smoke particles from raging wildfires or increased smog in our air, climate-related air pollution makes breathing harder for millions of Americans – especially children. Among other things, ground-level ozone (smog) damages lung tissue and exacerbates asthma. Asthma is already the most common chronic respiratory disease among children. It is also a leading cause of emergency department visits and children’s hospitalization. Asthma is just one of the reasons that fighting climate change is vital for children’s health.

That’s not all. Climate change is making storms and hurricanes more intense, leading to flooding, mudslides, damage to crops and farmland, injury, and death. Last summer, more than one in three Americans suffered the negative impacts from these climate-related disasters. It’s allowing disease-causing insects to spread dangerous diseases to places that never experienced them before. And it’s contaminating our water with pollution, chemicals and raw sewage. Even NASA is concerned.