Effects of Trump Administration Shutting Down Climate Health Department
In a significant move, the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been closed, with no official indication of its reinstatement or continuation as of mid-2025. This closure is part of a broader trend of federal dismantling of climate-related offices and resources, affecting the HHS's ability to address the intersection of climate change and health.
The OCCHE, consisting of about eight individuals, played a crucial role in promoting greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts within the health sector. It also housed important climate and health equity initiatives, which are now likely without a dedicated federal home. The current FY 2025 HHS performance plan and budget documents emphasize traditional health programs but do not mention continuing efforts under OCCHE specifically, suggesting the office remains shuttered with no allocated resources for those functions.
The closure has several future implications. First, it may slow or weaken U.S. efforts to integrate climate change considerations into public health planning and equity programs, reducing federal leadership and coordination on climate-related health issues within HHS.
Second, data and research disruptions are likely, as indicated by the removal of key CDC environmental justice and social vulnerability indices and other climate-health datasets from federal access. This hinders public and scientific community monitoring and analysis.
Third, the increased role for state coalitions such as the U.S. Climate Alliance may fill gaps left by federal retrenchment in this space.
The closure signals a diminished federal capacity to address the health impacts of climate change and promote health equity through HHS initiatives. This may shift responsibility and innovation more toward states and non-federal actors while limiting centralized data and policy leadership at the federal level.
Web pages devoted to the office have since been taken offline following Trump's executive order. The importance of preserving critical resources and sustaining collaborative efforts within the healthcare sector becomes increasingly evident as the dialogue around climate change and health equity evolves.
The ramifications of these decisions extend far beyond bureaucratic shifts, impacting the lives and well-being of individuals across the country. The Biden administration's HHS climate office developed interactive online tools to educate the public on heat-related health risks, which remain accessible to the public.
Advocacy groups like Health Care Without Harm are preserving the momentum of the HHS Health Sector Pledge. The office was instrumental in raising awareness among health care nonprofits about renewable energy tax credits under Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.
The closure of the HHS climate office and staff's administrative leave have prompted concerns about the continuity of vital sustainability efforts. Critical components, such as the voluntary pledge for healthcare organizations to reduce carbon emissions, have been removed from the HHS website.
The impending confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as health secretary by the Senate adds complexity to the situation. Access to critical resources like the Social Vulnerability Index, which assesses communities' susceptibility to natural disasters, has been blocked.
The impact of these policy changes on vulnerable communities and public health outcomes is a pressing concern. Public health officials have raised concerns over similar actions, such as the removal of materials related to preventing sexually transmitted diseases and providing gender-affirming care from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.
In summary, the closure of the OCCHE within the Department of Health and Human Services marks a significant step back in the federal government's ability to address the health impacts of climate change and promote health equity. The future of these efforts may lie more with states and non-federal actors, while limiting centralized data and policy leadership at the federal level.
- The closure of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) indicates a diminished federal capacity to address climate change and health equity.
- The removal of key CDC environmental justice and social vulnerability indices, and other climate-health datasets from federal access, may hinder public and scientific community monitoring and analysis.
- Advocacy groups like Health Care Without Harm are preserving the momentum of the HHS Health Sector Pledge, which raises awareness among health care nonprofits about renewable energy tax credits.
- The impending confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as health secretary by the Senate adds complexity to the situation, as access to critical resources like the Social Vulnerability Index has been blocked.
- The impact of these policy changes on vulnerable communities and public health outcomes is a pressing concern, as public health officials have raised concerns over similar actions, such as the removal of materials related to preventing sexually transmitted diseases and providing gender-affirming care from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.
