Jason,
Americans and our institutions are vulnerable to the growing threat of climate change—and that includes our hospitals.
Climate change—including floods, heat waves, and wildfires—threatens the core of hospital care by damaging facilities and equipment. Recent events, such as the casualties during Hurricane Katrina, the loss of COVID-19 vaccines during the 2021 Texas ice storm, and the closure of Los Angeles hospitals during 2025 wildfires, underscore the urgent need for resilient medical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the hospitals themselves are a major contributor to climate change. The healthcare sector is responsible for more than 8.5 percent of carbon emissions in the United States, more than a third of which come from hospitals. More people will suffer from environmental health issues as conditions worsen, creating a vicious cycle.
These problems cannot continue to be ignored. With the United States experiencing more than 20 major natural disasters per year, we must ensure that our medical facilities are prepared to respond.
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