ANA Releases a New Position Statement on Climate Change

SILVER SPRING, MD – The American Nurses Association (ANA), the premier organization representing the nation's more than 5 million registered nurses, has released a new position statement entitled Nurses' Role in Addressing Global Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health. This position statement provides guidance to nurses, nursing organizations, and the healthcare sector in mitigating their contributions to climate change as well as adaptation strategies to the health challenges from climate change. ANA's position also includes nursing interventions, recommendations for innovations, and research, as well as other relevant resources. 

Anthropogenic climate change is a result of large amounts of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere due to human activities. These gases confine atmospheric heat and slowly warm the planet's temperature. This warming can result in extreme weather events, excessive temperatures variations, wildfires, increased vector-born disease and many other negative human and planetary impacts. As the leading nursing organization, ANA is prepared to take a leadership position in addressing the impacts of climate change on human and population health and help prepare nurses to engage patients in conversations about climate change and its health impacts; impacts which disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations.  

Learn more and read ANA's full position statement on climate change.