
The New Jersey Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) project collaborates to bring together information, data, and resources on climate change and extreme weather impacting New Jersey.
Climate change adversely impacts human health in many ways. Rising temperatures will result in an increase in heat-related illnesses; an increase in extreme weather events; storms, flooding and heat will increase vector-borne and other zoonotic diseases. An increase in the frequency and severity of storms will result in increased numbers of injuries and carbon monoxide poisonings resulting from improper generator use during power outages. An increase in wildfires related to droughts and extreme temperature will contribute to poor air quality and increases in respiratory illnesses and other health conditions.
How will climate change impact NJ and its residents?
As temperatures increase, heat-related illnesses and some other health outcomes will increase
- Heat-related Hospitalizations: SHAD Indicator, Resources
- Heat-related Emergency Department Visits: SHAD Indicator, Prevention Fact Sheet [English] [Spanish], Top 20 ED Visits by Municipality 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, Resources
- Key Message for Healthcare Providers: Preventing Heat-Related Illness and Death Among People Most at Risk during Excessive Heat Events
- Asthma Hospitalizations: SHAD Indicator, Resources
- Asthma Emergency Department Visits: SHAD Indicator, Resources
Storms & extreme weather will increase adverse health outcomes
- Carbon monoxide poisoning: SHAD Indicator, Deaths, Prevention Fact Sheet [English] [Spanish], CO Detector Usage, Resources
- Harmful algal blooms: NJDEP's Fact Sheets, Reporting, General Information, Protecting Pets from HABs
- Portable generator usage: SHAD Indicator, Video
- Sea level rise will increase coastal and inland flooding: Fact Sheet, Resources
Infectious diseases will increase
- Dengue: Fact Sheet, Resources
- Lyme Disease: SHAD Indicator, Fact Sheet, Resources, Took Kit
- Legionellosis: SHAD Indicator, Fact Sheet, Resources
- Vibriosis: Resources
- West Nile Virus: Fact Sheet, Resources
- Zika: Fact Sheet, Resources