Human Health Working Group

The WICCI Human Health Working Group works to ensure that Wisconsin is knowledgeable about and prepared for the human health impacts of climate change. We use WICCI Wisconsin specific downscaled data to ensure that our tools and resources contain the best available information.

We work on systems, policy, and environmental change to create more impactful, lasting climate- and health-related strategies. We create new tools and resources to continue to better understand the human health burden of climate change in Wisconsin. We enact the Wisconsin Idea, bridging the university with the state and the people of Wisconsin.

Near-term goals

• Pursue possible state level climate action activities (e.g., climate action plan, cross-agency discussions on how to embed climate change into internal processes, etc.).
• Explore new opportunities (e.g., WPHA, WALHDAB, WEHA, WHEN, WHPCA, UW Ext., etc.) for disseminating already existing climate and health tools and resources (e.g., Dr. Patz’s online course modules, DHS Climate and Health Program tools, etc.).
• Provide TA in the form of sharing resources, data, and giving talks/lectures to organizations/agencies working on climate and health initiatives.
• Analyze available data to provide information on the human health burden of climate change in Wisconsin.

Stakeholders and partners

• Dane County Office of Energy and Climate Change
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS)
• Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC)
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection
• University of Wisconsin Extension
• Wisconsin Public Health Association (WPHA)
• Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards (WALHDAB)
• Wisconsin Environmental Health Association (WEHA)
• Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action (WHPCA)

Members

• Megan Christenson, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
• Jon Meiman, Chief Medical Officer/State Environmental and Occupational Disease Epidemiologist, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
• Colleen Moran, Climate and Health Program Manager, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
• Jonathan Patz, Director, Global Health Institute, UW-Madison