Children's Health and the Peril of Climate Change
Frederica Perera
(Author)
Description
Today, approximately two billion children breathe toxic air at levels exceeding standards set by the World Health Organization, causing immediate and long-term physical and mental health effects. Nearly every child around the world is at risk from at least one climate-related shock such as severe heat, flooding, drought, air pollution, forest fires, water scarcity, and displacement. Air pollution and climate change, largely driven by emissions from fossil fuel, are widening inequality in children's health. From urban centers in the United States to remote villages in the furthest corners of Asia, we are seeing the effects of our inaction on climate change affecting the next generation--even those still in utero. The global transition away from fossil fuel to a low carbon economy creates a major opportunity for the health and future of our children, but only if we all take action. Children's Health and the Peril of Climate Change brings to light the mental and physical harms to children's health inflicted by climate change and its root cause--our addiction to fossil fuel. Drawing on the author's extensive expertise in children's environmental health, this essential and thought-provoking text exposes the unique vulnerability of the developing child and the multiple and synergistic effects of climate change and air pollution on child health, especially for disadvantaged children. However, it also shows how all children, regardless of their generational wealth or birth country, are imperiled by climate change. While this book provides specific evidence for the escalating dangers of climate change, it also presents a roadmap to a brighter future with case studies of climate change and air pollution policies that have benefitted children's health and the economy. Through facts and compelling storytelling, Frederica Perera shares the growing power of advocacy by youth, environmental justice, and Indigenous groups. She describes the many solutions now available, highlighting the need for integrated climate and social policies to accelerate the transition into a zero-carbon future. Leveraging the universally shared value of protecting children, Children's Health and the Peril of Climate Change is a call to action to replace denial and despair around climate change with purpose and commitment for a healthier, more sustainable future.
Product Details
Price
$44.84
Publisher
Oxford University Press, USA
Publish Date
October 18, 2022
Pages
248
Dimensions
6.44 X 9.38 X 0.94 inches | 1.08 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780197588161
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About the Author
Frederica Perera, MPH, DrPH, PhD, is Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health and Founding Director of the Center for Children's Environmental Health at Columbia University. Dr. Perera is internationally recognized for her pioneering research using novel methods to link exposure to air pollution and toxic chemicals to developmental disorders and illness in children, with the goal of preventing those harms. She is the author of over 350 peer-reviewed articles and has received numerous honors.
Reviews
In this accessible book, Dr. Perera draws a compelling picture of the relationship between the health of the planet, the health of our children, and the necessity to act on climate. Beyond walking us through the science, she shows how people have begun to act even in the face of enormous odds. For those of us committed to environmental justice, we could do no better than to read this book and follow its guidance. For others who want a sustainable future with an economy that works, this book is essential. -- Gerald Torres, Professor of Environmental Justice, Yale School of the Environment and Professor of Law, Yale Law School
This deeply researched book cuts through the black smoke of climate denial with its clear focus on climate change's impacts on children. While Dr. Perera acknowledges the gravity of the climate crisis with specific evidence of its dangers, her primary message is one of hope, articulated through climate success stories as a roadmap to a brighter future. -- Philip J. Landrigan, MD, Director, Global Observatory on Pollution and Health, Boston College
It's time for all of us to stop talking about climate change as a planetary problem when in reality it's a people problem-or should I say, a young people's problem. Through scientific fact and compelling storytelling, Dr. Perera's book makes it startlingly clear that our changing climate is already threatening the health and well-being of children in every corner of the world. If you have ever asked yourself why young people everywhere are demanding climate action, this powerful book provides the evidence and inspiration to join them in the fight for a clean energy future. It's a fight we can and must win-for ourselves and for our children's future. -- Gina McCarthy, former Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency
This is the manifesto we need to provide children and families with a clear message of leaving no one behind in the fight against climate change. Dr. Perera is a true pioneer and leader, providing solutions and sound policy guidance for a better, safer, and cleaner future with justice, equity, and sustainability for all generations. -- Kari Nadeau, MD, PhD, Director, Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research, Stanford University
