FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT
Andrew Whelan, CleanAIRE NC, (919) 408-7031, [email protected]
NC BREATHE Report Highlights Strategies and Recommendations for Climate Justice and Healthier Communities in North Carolina
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This week CleanAIRE NC released a report reviewing and highlighting the key themes that arose from their 2023 NC BREATHE Conference, identifying strategies and solutions to address the impacts of climate change on community health.
The full report is available online at cleanairenc.org/nc-breathe-2023-report.
The new report lays out five recommendations for supporting the communities most vulnerable to air pollution and climate change. The report will be shared with leading North Carolina policymakers, health professionals, and community groups for their consideration.
“The conversations we listened to at NC BREATHE shed a light on the ways many of us are failing to engage and support the communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis,” said Kirsten Minor, Health Program Manager for CleanAIRE NC. “This report lays out specific strategies and follow-up actions we can take to empower communities, mitigate climate impacts, and collaboratively discover more community-driven solutions.”
Combined, the recommendations focus on improving the environmental permitting process, centralizing climate health and sustainable practices in the medical field, and overcoming communication barriers to ensure communities are fully engaged with environmental policy decisions impacting their health. The report identifies a series of actionable steps to ensure each recommendation is successfully implemented by the responsible parties.
The eighth annual NC BREATHE conference was held on April 6, 2023 at the 658 Center in Charlotte. Nearly 200 health care professionals, researchers, community advocates, students, and policymakers came together to share ideas for climate justice and healthier communities in North Carolina. This year’s theme was “Climate Justice: Our Path to Healthier Communities.” Dr. Aaron Levy (Atrium Health) and Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali (National Wildlife Federation) were keynote speakers, while environmental reporter Lisa Sorg (NC Newsline) gave the conference’s closing remarks.
The 2023 NC BREATHE conference was co-sponsored by Atrium Health, Wells Fargo, Catawba College’s Center for the Environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Fred and Alice Stanback.
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CleanAIRE NC is a statewide nonprofit organization advocating for the health of all North Carolinians by pursuing equitable and collaborative solutions that address climate change and air pollution. www.cleanAIREnc.org
