The debate over environmental regulations and their impact on public health is heating up, with significant implications for respiratory health. A controversial proposal from the Trump-era EPA aims to revoke findings that recognize climate change as a threat to health and safety, sparking concerns among healthcare professionals.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Administrator Lee Zeldin has put forward a proposal to reverse a previous determination that climate change endangers human health and life. Zeldin argues that maintaining this finding imposes economic burdens totaling tens of billions annually.
However, Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action (MiCCA) strongly opposes this move, highlighting the potential risks to public health and climate initiatives. Dr. Alexander Rabin, from the University of Michigan and a MiCCA member, warns of increased respiratory illnesses. “We’re going to see more people get sick, more people get asthma, more people come in with COPD exacerbations. I mean, the data is there. It’s very clear what’s happening,” he stated.
The MiCCA also points out that the EPA’s financial impact claims lack documented sources, questioning the assertion of a $54 billion cost to Americans. Dr. Rabin emphasizes that worsening climate change effects will not only affect the elderly, whom he primarily treats for conditions like emphysema, but will also impact broader populations.
“We all have kids, we all have grandkids and whether you’re a Republican, or a Democrat, or Independent, we all breathe the same air. And at the same time, the people who probably have the least voice, are also the greatest affected,” Rabin noted. Research indicates that children are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, as detailed in a previous report.
If the plan to eliminate greenhouse gas regulations progresses, it is anticipated that environmental advocacy groups will pursue legal action to contest the EPA’s decision.
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