The U.S. Early Years Climate Action Plan: Congressional Letter
Last week, the U.S. Early Years Climate Action Task Force co-Chairs, Diana Rauner and Antwanye Ford, sent a letter to Congress. It outlined the threats climate change poses to young children’s health, the health and well-being of those who care for them, and the continued functionality of the nation’s pediatric & maternal health care and early care & education systems.
Dear Sens. Sanders and Cassidy, and Reps. Buchanan and Doggett,
While much has been done to illuminate the consequences of climate disruption on human health, social systems, and the economy, one age band remains badly ignored: young children.
As co-chairs of the U.S. Early Years Climate Action Task Force, we are writing to request you call a hearing on the impacts of climate change on America’s youngest children.
As stated in the Task Force’s recent report, Flourishing Children, Healthier Communities, and a Stronger Nation: The U.S. Early Years Climate Action Plan:
“In the earliest stages of life—from before birth through age 8—children develop rapidly and have a distinct biology that makes them uniquely sensitive to their environments and exposures. As the effects of climate change intensify, so do the risks to children. It is hard to overestimate the potential impacts on children’s health, well-being, and opportunities. In turn, it is hard to overestimate the potential impacts on the trajectories of their families and the nation.”
Recent months have made it painfully clear that we live in the climate change era. Whether devastating wildfires in Maui, extreme flooding in Vermont and New York City, or record-breaking heat waves across the Southeast, no part of the nation is immune from our disrupted climate. Within this context, climate change threatens young children’s health, the health and well-being of those who care for them, and the continued functionality of the nation’s pediatric & maternal health care and early care & education systems – all of which are essential to America’s families, economy, and global competitiveness:
The Environmental Protection Agency has reported that higher temperatures like those expected as climate change progresses increase harmful air pollutants, which are expected to harm young children's developing lungs and brains and lead to increased emergency department visits nationwide.[2] A recent report from the Lancet added that, “Compared with 1986–2005, the number of heatwave days during 2013–22 increased 94% globally. This increase resulted in each child younger than 1 year being exposed on average to 110% more days of heatwave, on average, in this time period.”
Young children also stand to bear the vast majority of the disease burden from climate change. As one example, pediatric Lyme disease cases in the eastern U.S. are projected to rise between 31% and 272% in the coming years, depending on the extent of global warming. In general, these impacts will disproportionately fall on children of color and children from low-income families.
Systems upon which these children and families rely are also at risk.
The Task Force heard testimony about a Federally Qualified Health Center in Tennessee that had to close for ten days amid a heat wave due to inadequate air conditioning. The Chief Clinical Officer told us, “This was absolutely devastating to communities and our staff. In that one clinic, we see 100 children per day. They could not come in for their appointments. We are also the only resource regionally for autism and development assessments. The building was not safe for staff or patients. We brought in tons of fans, but still, we lost about $20,000 worth of vaccines and additional expensive in-stock medications.”
Similarly, we heard from the owner of a family child care program in Florida whose home was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian yet re-opened after four days to serve the children of first responders and become an ad-hoc disaster response hub.
While there is current evidence of the impact of climate change on young children, there is much we still do not know. A hearing would help set the direction for a future research, policy, and practice agenda. As the EPA has noted, “It is difficult to conduct epidemiological and qualitative studies to understand the effects of climate change events on birth and health outcomes during the periods of pre-conception through early childhood. However, the more data of these types that are available, the better future assessments can be of how climate stressors impact children.” With a number of relevant federal initiatives and agendas in development – such as NIH’s call for information on Environmental Justice Research Gaps, Opportunities, and Capacity Building; NOAA’s Action Plan on Equitable Delivery of Climate Services; and the recently launched White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research – the time is right for a hearing that elevates the lived experiences of families impacted by climate change and the research gaps that exist at this critical intersection.
Making climate-smart investments in young children and their families, as well as child- and family-serving systems, will build individual and community resilience. Children who develop with robust health, learning, and caregiving support are more likely to have the individual resilience to effectively navigate the disrupted world in which they are growing up and in which they will, in short order, be workers and voters as well as parents and caregivers to older adults. As the examples above illustrate, climate adaptations that safeguard young children also have positive externalities for entire communities.
We believe a public hearing is essential to elevate these critical issues, point the way for future efforts, and help focus federal action on young children and their families. We would happily provide any needed support, such as providing background information or suggesting potential witnesses. Thank you for your time and consideration, and we hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Diana Rauner
President & CEO, Start Early
Antwanye Ford
CEO, Enlighted, Inc.