Your monthly dose of science and solutions from Harvard Chan C-CHANGE and beyond.

November 24, 2025

How do we accelerate climate progress, especially when national ambition lags? 

Last week I went to the United Nations Climate Conference, COP30 in Belém, Brazil and saw inspiring examples of climate progress in the U.S. and around the world. While the U.S. is sitting out of this year’s negotiations and global climate pledges are falling short, progress is taking hold from the bottom up. Cities are redesigning streets to cut traffic pollution, communities are transitioning away from fossil fuels, and public–private partnerships are improving access to healthy, sustainable food. What these interventions share is that they’re all driven by local leadership. 

We experienced something similar with tobacco smoke. For decades, powerful interests clouded the science, and people doubted the harm of smoking. But as evidence became impossible to ignore, it was local and regional action—city by city, state by state—that led to nationwide indoor smoking bans. Fossil fuel pollution is just like secondhand smoke, as it causes immediate and long-term injury to the respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurologic systems. Vested interests may try to convince us otherwise, but reducing our reliance on fossil fuels cleans up the air and ushers in immediate health benefits for people of all ages.  

That’s why scientists and health professionals must keep showing up at COP and everywhere decisions are made about climate mitigation and adaptation, even at the most local level, to relay the message that climate solutions are health solutions. To bring people into this conversation in an era of polarization, we can start with what we all share: a desire for healthy, prosperous families and communities.  

My co-panelist at our UNFCCC COP30 side event, Liberia’s EPA Director Dr. Emmanual K. Urey Yarkpawolo, put it best: “Science gives us the facts, but communication gives those facts life … Together, they form the most powerful tools to inspire belief — and belief, in turn, drives action.” 

I’m encouraged to see COP embrace the health message more each year. COP28 marked the first official Health Day at the conference, and this year launched the Belém Health Action Plan, a framework for countries to monitor and coordinate climate and health policies across government agencies. It’s a sign that the message of the health community is getting through.  

We did it with tobacco smoke. We can do it again with fossil fuel pollution—city by city, community by community.  

Dr. Mary B. Rice

Director, Harvard Chan C-CHANGE

Mark and Catherine Winkler Associate Professor of Environmental Respiratory Health

Health leaders celebrate the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan.
Photo by UNFCCC/Kiara Worth

Integrating Art, Indigenous Wisdom, and Science for Climate Action: Hosted by UNFCCC, Mary Rice joined experts to explore how artistic approaches, Indigenous knowledge and scientific evidence of the effectiveness of climate interventions can mobilize action. Pictured: Marion Glaser, Markus Huff, Tafadzwa Chando, George Thurston, Mary Rice, Donald Sandmann, and Emmanual K. Urey Yarkpawolo.

Resilience as a Pillar of Primary Health Care in Latin America and the Caribbean Report Launch: Hosted by the World Bank and the Pan American Health Organization, Marcia Castro joined representatives from the Brazilian Ministry of Health for the dissemination of “Resilience as a Pillar of Primary Health Care in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Pictured: Rômulo Paes de Sousa, Adriano Massuda, Taissa Vila, and Cristian Roberto Morales Fuhrimann. 

America's Climate Leadership in Action:  Hosted by America Is All In, Mary Rice joined a panel to underscore the credibility and impact of American subnational leaders as global partners.

Demonstrating Health and Economic Co-benefits of Climate Mitigation: Hosted by WHO, this event featured Mary Rice, Vanessa Kerry, and colleagues presenting successful policy interventions that provided significant health, economic, and climate mitigation gains. Watch by clicking Day 7 Session 34. Pictured: Barbara Hoffmann, Mary Rice, Vanessa Kerry, Andrew Haines, George Thurston. Not pictured: Khris Nicholas and Agnes Soares de Sliva.

Health and Climate: What comes after COP30? Marcia Castro joined leaders from multiple sectors to reflect on the legacy of Health Day in the context of COP30 and outline concrete pathways to integrate health and climate action, with a special focus on the Amazon.

Good Climate News

Local governments can help keep the U.S. in line with Paris Agreement goals: With expanded high-ambition climate action from cities, states, communities, and businesses, combined with renewed federal engagement, the U.S. can still achieve up to a 56% reduction in GHG emissions below 2005 levels by 2035, according to a new report from America Is All In. 

Deadly heat worldwide prompts $300 million for climate health research at COP30: A group of philanthropies will invest in developing life-saving solutions.

The Paris Agreement shifted our path: Before 2015, emissions pointed to 4–5°C of warming. Now we’re heading toward about 2.8°C. If all nations fully implement their pledges, we can drive warming even lower. Read more from Katharine Hayhoe.

Progress on CO2 emissions: This chart compares two projections on greenhouse gas emissions from the International Energy Agency, illustrating the gap between 2014 and 2025.

What if Climate Policy Started with Health—and Grew the Economy? Vanessa Kerry argues in Newsweek why health must be central to every country’s economic development and climate strategies. 

Welcome, David Cash!

We're thrilled that David Cash, former U.S. EPA Regional Administrator for New England, will lead Salata’s Climate Action Accelerator.

Funding Opportunities

Fellowships

Projects

C-CHANGE Research Network Meeting

Join our monthly gathering of faculty, students, researchers, and post-docs from across the Harvard schools and affiliated hospitals engaged in climate and health research. Questions? Contact Alima Ahmed. 

EAT-Lancet 2025: An Update on the Path to Healthy and Sustainable Diets

Today's world faces major challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, rising disease and undernutrition, and social disruption. Our food systems and fossil fuel use drive these issues, but shifting to sustainable diets can help address them, prevent 15 million premature deaths each year, and promote a just, sustainable future.

Featuring Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition

Date: December 3, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 
Location: K110 and Online

Concentration Corner

News for students interested in the Climate Change and Planetary Health Concentration. 

Join us for our Brown Bag Lunch Seminar! Open to everyone.  

Climate Change and Public Health in Nepal: Bridging Evidence and Action

December 3, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | FXB G-12

Featuring Meghnath Dhimal, an environmental health scientist from Nepal with over 20 years of experience in research, teaching, and policy.

Student News:

Annual President’s Innovation Challenge: Students from all 13 Harvard schools are invited to submit their boldest solutions to the world’s toughest challenges. Apply by December 8.

Harvard Chan EH Dept is seeking a Communications Assistant: The position is open to all federal work-study students at Harvard and has a flexible work schedule (10-15 hours per week). Position is open until filled. Search job #22983 on the Student Jobs Database.

Post-Launch of the Lancet One Health Commission Report
December 3, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. | Countway Library & Online
The event will highlight the urgent challenges at the intersection of health and sustainability. It will illustrate the inseparable links between human, animal, and ecosystem health, and underscore the need for a One Health approach to achieve effective solutions. Register now

Pollution and Health: From Data to Evidence
December 4, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Online
Hosted by CAFE RCC
Unpack how scientists turn air-quality data into health policy by focusing on the exposure–response curve (ERC), which links pollution levels to health outcomes. The session will show how different modeling choices can lead to different conclusions about what pollution levels are deemed “safe.” Register now

Considerations for temperature in public health studies
December 10, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Online
Hosted by CAFE RCC
Learn how to study the effects of temperature on health. Attendees will learn how to define a temperature exposure, choose an appropriate temperature dataset, and what to consider when modeling the relationship between temperature and health outcomes. Register now

Wei Y, Castro E, Yin K, Zhang M, Thompson H, Coull BA, Sparano JA, Teitelbaum SL, Wright RO, Schwartz JD. Ambient air pollution and mortality in older patients with breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2025 Nov 1;117(11):2280-2288. PMID: 40794608. 

Agache I, Balbin-Ramon GJ, Saenz FKF, Sola-Arnau I, Alonso-Coello P, Haahtela T, Traidl-Hoffmann C, O'Mahony L, Damialis A, Lauerma A, Nadeau KC, Pali-Schöll I, Palomares O, Renz H, Schwarze J, Vercelli D, Canelo-Aybar C, Jutel M, Akdis CA. Impact of Residential Greeness Exposure on the Development of Allergic Diseases and Asthma and on Asthma Control-A Systematic Review for the EAACI Guidelines of Environmental Science for Allergic Diseases and Asthma. Allergy. 2025 Nov;80(11):3027-3042. Epub 2025 Jul 9. PMID: 40632014. 

Allen JG, Azimi P, Pei G, Feguson L, Burghardt L, Nadeau K. Post-fire soil hazards: recommendations for updated soil testing protocols and clearance thresholds. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2025 Nov;35(6):883-887. Epub 2025 Aug 8. PMID: 40781180. 

Yin X, Yang J, Wang DD, Hu FB, Willett WC, Zhang C. Planetary Health Diet and Risk of Cardiometabolic Diseases Among Women With Gestational Diabetes. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Nov 3;8(11):e2540170. PMID: 41201804. 

Jin C, Danesh Yazdi M, He H, Castro E, Schwartz JD, Wright RO, Wei Y. Chronic effects of wildfire smoke and criteria air pollutants on cardiovascular hospitalization rates in the contiguous US. Environ Res. 2025 Nov 15;285(Pt 3):122520. Epub 2025 Aug 6. PMID: 40774559. 

Castro MC, Arisco NJ, Diniz CG, Ponmattam J, Peterka C, Basta PC, Ferreira MU. Mining and malaria in the Brazilian Amazon and in the Yanomami indigenous land. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025 Nov 3;19(11):e0013677. PMID: 41183068. 

Kohlmann T, Chen A, Armsby P, Copeland CAF, Gentry T, Jordan M, Morris M, Trampe A, Angal J, Taylor LS, Stroustrup A, Camargo CA Jr, Yanez ND, Smith PB; ECHO Cohort Consortium. A comparison of institutional review board models and study efficiency in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort Consortium. Contemp Clin Trials. 2025 Nov 11;160:108140. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41232754. 

Rosenberg N, Balsari S, Dresser C, Krakower D, Stead W. A Hot Topic: A Climate-Focused Track for Infectious Diseases Fellowship. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2024 Nov 14;12(11):ofaf080.  PMID: 41244597. 

Houghton A. "The built environment: Solutions for living in a world impacted by climate change." In Alexander, M., Fogarty, F., & Leochico, C. F. D. (2025). Climate Change and Disability : A Collaborative Approach to a Sustainable Future (1st ed.). Elsevier Science & Technology.

Evangelopoulos D, Wood D, Butland BK, Barratt B, Zhang H, Dimakopoulou K, Samoli E, Beevers S, Walton H, Schwartz J, Evangelou E, Katsouyanni K. Measurement error correction methods for the effects of ambient air pollution on mortality and morbidity using the UK Biobank cohort: the MELONS study. Environ Res. 2025 Nov 1;284:122237.Epub 2025 Jun 28. PMID: 40582549. 

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