The Built Environment Unit launched the Climate Program in 2019 after significant contributions from Harris County Public Health (HCPH) climate change working group and multiple research fellows. 

The Climate Program aims to protect the health of Harris County residents from the effects of climate change by applying the core functions of public health. This program will develop and support:

• Strategies intended to increase climate resilience
• Strategies that affect policy as well as individual behavior change
• Strategies that apply the principles of health equity
• Strategies that have health and climate co-benefits
• Actionable solutions for the Harris County community

The Climate Program will ensure a collaborative, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach to addressing climate and health. 

Climate impacts health in a variety of ways. Refer to Climate and Health 101 to learn more about climate changes and their impact on health outcomes.

The Climate Program has been working on several projects since its creation in 2019. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) collaborated with the City of Houston and other community partners to successfully complete an urban heat mapping campaign. Currently, the Climate Program is working on creating climate and health risk profiles. This two-part project will inform vulnerability assessments and disease burden projections for Harris County.

• H3AT 2020 Heat Mapping Campaign
• Climate and Health Risk Profiles
• Climate and Health Vulnerability Assessments
  • Extreme Heat and Health Vulnerability Assessment Story Map

Community resources provide information helping address climate impacts, as well as offering additional climate and health education.

• Climate and Health Resources