For many, climate change conjures up images of polar bears adrift, Amazon deforestation and bleached coral reefs. Increasingly, the human health impacts of climate change are demonstrated and directly and powerfully felt, not only in lands far off, but here at home. 2023 was the hottest year ever on record, contributing to premature birth and excess deaths. The once paradise of Maui experienced the deadliest fire in a century. Smoke from Canadian fires crossed borders to pollute states across the US. Precipitation changes are causing both draughts and deluge, with storms such as Hurricane Harvey pouring down 61 inches of rain, the highest of any single storm in recorded history.

This workshop is designed to engage injury prevention experts in the development of a framework to understand climate change as a cause and contributor to injury. Dialogue will include consideration of classic extreme weather injuries (CO, power lines, burns, puncture wounds and lacerations) as well as conditions on the increase (heat stress) or not usually considered injury (birth outcomes, asthma, brain effects). The workshop will explore the disproportionate impact of climate change on children, how climate change exacerbates health inequities and how health inequities impede the ability to adapt to climate change.

Importantly, tools and action steps for providers and families served will be discussed, empowering participants to address climate change at the personal, practice and/or policy level. Throughout the workshop, participants will be invited to share their experiences and to contribute to the shaping of an injury prevention approach to climate change. Interested attendees may elect to join in the drafting of a manuscript on climate change and child injury prevention.

1. Understand the current injury impacts of climate change, as well as the predicted trends affecting children.
2. Describe the climate change inequities (exposure, physiology, adaptation) which disproportionately effect children, adolescents, pregnant persons, people of color and those living with poverty.
3. Applying the Haddon Matrix, consider prevention, adaptation and mitigation means of injury reduction.
4. Commit to 1-2 action steps at the personal, practice or policy level to address climate change and child injury.