NRDC Issue Brief: Climate Change and Health in California

Climate change is altering seasonal patterns in California, making hot days hotter, and increasing the severity of extreme events such as the historic drought from late 2011 to early 2017 and fires like the devastating Camp Fire in 2018. As a result, Californians face a variety of increasing health problems such as more heat-related illnesses, breathing and heart troubles, food and water contamination, traumatic injuries, mental health challenges, and exposure to infectious diseases. These threats will only increase for Californians as long as big polluters and our buildings and transportation systems continue to pump climate-changing pollution into the air. DOWNLOAD PDF>