From: Plovnick, Amy (Volpe) <Amy.Plovnick@dot.gov>

From: Environmental-Justice <Environmental-Justice@epa.gov>
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2021 3:27 PM
To: Environmental Justice information <epa-ej@lists.epa.gov>
Subject: [epa-ej] National Institute of Health Request for Information (RFI): Climate Change and Health

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National Institute of Health Request for Information (RFI): Climate Change and Health

The Steering Committee of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Climate Change and Human Health Working Group invites feedback on the approaches NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices can take to enhance research on the health implications of climate change in the United States and globally.

This request for information (RFI) invites comments from diverse stakeholder groups that include scientific researchers, community advocates, clinicians, and policy makers. The NIH has identified six priority areas of research on human health and climate change, listed below. This RFI seeks to identify research gaps and priorities in these areas and encourages responses on related topics that are not listed.

· Innovative Research that Addresses Climate Change and Human Health

· Scientific Infrastructure to Address Human Health and Climate Change

· Research and Community Partnerships to Address Environmental Injustice and Foster Resilience

· Rapid Research Response Capacity to Address Human Health and Climate Change

· Diverse Workforce to Address Human Health and Climate Change

· Translation and Dissemination of Research Findings and Health Protective Strategies

Learn more here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-ES-21-009.html

How to Submit a Response

Responses will be accepted through August 30, 2021. Responses must be e-mailed to NIEHS-RFI-CCHH@niehs.nih.gov. Please include "NIH Climate Change and Human Health RFI" and the Notice Number (NOT-ES-21-009) in the subject line. Responders are free to address any or all the categories listed above. The submitted information will be reviewed by NIH staff.

Responses to this RFI are entirely voluntary and may be submitted anonymously. If willing, you may indicate the environment to which your perspective pertains (e.g., academic institutions, extramural, intramural researchers, industry, and the public). Please do not include any personally identifiable information or any information that you do not wish to make public. Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your response.

The Government will use the information submitted in response to this RFI at its discretion. The Government reserves the right to use any submitted information on public websites, in reports, in summaries of the state of the science, in any possible resultant solicitation(s), grant(s), or cooperative agreement(s), or in the development of future funding opportunity announcements.

This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only and is not a solicitation for applications or an obligation on the part of the Government to provide support for any ideas identified in response to it. Please note that the Government will not pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for use of that information.

We look forward to your input and hope that you will share this RFI opportunity with your colleagues.

Background

Climate change poses substantial threats to human health across the lifespan. These threats influence diverse health concerns including communicable and non-communicable diseases, injuries, hazardous exposures, mental health, and death. Observational and modeling studies have identified impacts on and threats to health and well-being that are immediate (e.g., extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heat waves, floods and droughts) as well as resulting from more gradual changes in climate (e.g., rising sea levels, shifts in rainfall and humidity). In the United States and globally, structural racism and discrimination place communities of color, under-resourced, health disparity populations, and other historically disadvantaged communities at higher risk from health impacts of climate change.

Health consequences of climate change may be direct (e.g., heat stress, death) or indirect (e.g., infectious diseases or conditions associated with pollution) effects, and may occur due to actions taken to mitigate (e.g., changes in energy systems) and adapt (changes in the built environment) to climate change. Understanding the health implications – including potential health benefits -- of actions to prevent, mitigate, and adapt to climate change offers opportunities to improve the social and environmental determinants of health, especially for at-risk communities.

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