The Trump administration took a major step in its efforts to unravel America’s climate policies on Feb. 12, 2026. It the , a formal determination that greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide and methane from burning fossil fuels, endanger public health and welfare. But the administration’s arguments in dismissing the health risks of climate change are , they’re deeply dangerous to Americans’ health and safety.

As , and , we’ve seen growing evidence of the connections between climate change and harm to people’s health.

Here’s a look at the health risks everyone face from climate change.

Health risks and outcomes related to climate change.

Extreme heat

Greenhouse gases from vehicles, power plants and other sources and holding it close to Earth’s surface like a blanket. Too much of it causes global temperatures to rise, leaving more people exposed to dangerous heat more often.

Most people who get minor heat illnesses will recover, but more extreme exposure, especially without enough hydration and a way to cool off, . People who work outside, are elderly or have underlying illnesses such as heart, lung or kidney diseases are often at the greatest risk.

Heat deaths have been rising globally, from the 1990s to the 2010s, when the average year saw more than half a million heat-related deaths. Here in the U.S., the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome killed .

that with advancing climate change, many areas of the world, including U.S. cities such as , , and , will confront many more days each year hot enough to threaten human survival.

Extreme weather

Warmer air holds more moisture, so climate change brings increasing rainfall and storm intensity and worsening flooding, as in recent years. Warmer ocean water also .

Increased flooding carries health risks, and water contamination from human pathogens and toxic chemicals. People cleaning out flooded homes also face risks from mold exposure, injuries and mental distress.

Flooding from hurricanes and other extreme storms can put people at risk of injuries during the cleanup while also triggering dangerous mold growth on wet wallboard, carpets and fabric. This home flooded up to its second flood during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Climate change , disrupting food supplies and causing respiratory illness from dust. Rising temperatures and aridity dry out forests and grasslands, making them .

Air pollution

Wildfires, along with other climate effects, are around the country.

Wildfire smoke is a toxic soup of (known as fine particulate matter, or PM2.5) that can penetrate deep in the lungs and such as lead, formaldehyde and dioxins generated when homes, cars and other materials burn at high temperatures. Smoke plumes can travel and trigger and elevate , among .

Meanwhile, warmer conditions , a . Burning of fossil fuels also generates dangerous air pollutants that cause a long list of health problems, including , and .

Infectious diseases

Because they are cold-blooded organisms, insects are directly influenced by temperature. So with rising temperatures, mosquito biting rates rise as well. Warming also accelerates the development of disease agents that mosquitoes transmit.

Mosquito-borne in Florida, Texas, Hawaii, Arizona and California. New York state just saw its first , also transmitted by mosquitoes.

As global temperatures rise, regions are becoming more suitable for mosquitoes to transmit dengue virus. The map shows a suitability scale, with red areas already suitable for dengue transmissions and yellow areas becoming more suitable. ,

And it’s not just insect-borne infections. Warmer temperatures increase diarrhea and foodborne illness from and heavy rainfall increases into lakes and streams. At the other water extreme, drought in the , a fungal infection known as valley fever.

Other impacts

Climate change threatens health in numerous other ways. increase . Lower crop yields reduce access to .

Mental health also suffers, with and following , and tied to high-temperature days.

New York and many other cities now open cooling centers during heat waves to help residents, particularly older adults who might not have air conditioning at home, stay safe during the hottest parts of the day.

, , and people with preexisting medical conditions are among the highest-risk groups. Lower-income people also face greater risk because of higher rates of chronic disease, higher exposures to climate hazards and fewer resources for protection, and recovery from disasters.

Policy-based evidence-making

The evidence linking climate change with health . Today, it is incontrovertible.

Studies show that heat, air pollution, disease spread and food insecurity linked to climate change are worsening and . This evidence also aligns with Americans’ lived experiences. Anybody who has fallen ill during a heat wave, or been knows that climate change can threaten human health.

Yet the Trump administration is willfully ignoring this evidence in proclaiming that climate change does not endanger health.

Its the 2009 endangerment finding, which underpins many climate regulations, fits with a broader set of policy measures, including and subsidizing . In addition to rescinding the endangerment finding, the Trump administration also moved to vehicles – the and a major contributor to air pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone.

It’s not just about endangerment

The evidence is clear: Climate change endangers human health. But there’s a flip side to the story.

When countries work to reduce the causes of climate change, they help tackle some of the world’s biggest health challenges. Cleaner vehicles and cleaner electricity mean cleaner air – and less heart and lung disease. More walking and cycling on safe sidewalks and bike paths mean more physical activity and . The list goes on. By confronting climate change, we promote good health.

To really make America healthy, in our view, the nation should acknowledge the facts behind the endangerment finding and double down on our transition from fossil fuels to a healthy, clean energy future.

This article includes material from a story .

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