Resources for Education and Advocacy

Resources for education and advocacy on climate change and the role nurses  play.

Note: many of the web resources are in PDF format. You will need an Adobe Reader to open PDF files. You may download the software for free.

Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments website

American Nurses Association (2015) Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements

American Nurses Association (2007) Principles of Environmental Health for Nursing Practice with Implementation Strategies.

Anåker A., Nilsson M., Holmner Å. & Elf M. (2015) Nurses' perceptions of climate and environmental issues: a qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 7, 1883–1891.

Anderko, L., Schenk, E., Huffling, K., Chalupka, S.  Climate change, health, and nursing: A call to action. Alliance of  Nurses for Healthy Environments.

Breakey, S, Corless, IB, Meedzan, NL, Nicholas, PK, (Editors) (2015). Global Health Nursing in the 21st Century. New York: Springer Publishing Company 

Canadian Nurses Association​ (2009) Position Statement on Climate Change and Health

Canadian Nurses Association (2008)​ The Role of Nurses in Addressing Climate Change

Canadian Nurses Association (2017) Code of ethics for registered nurses

Center for Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health (2019): The Public Health Challenge of Our Time

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016). Zika virus.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018). Climate and health program.

Cleetus, R. (2015, July). Climate Justice: Why Vulnerable Communities Need Resilience Investments.

Cleo Institute, recognizing the need to address climate literacy by breaking down scientific data and educating communities at a grassroots level.

Climate for Health Newsletter, May 30, 2019

George Washington University Guide Realistic Ways You Can Combat Climate Change, Today.

Goodman, B. Role of the nurse in addressing climate change.  Nursing Standard, 27, 49-56.

George, M., Bruzzese, J. M., & Matura, L. A. (2017). Climate change effects on respiratory health: Implications for nursing, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49, 1-9

Harvard C-Change May 30, 2019, The Climate Optimist

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2007a). Climate change: the physical science basis: Summary for policymakers. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2007b). Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptations and vulnerability: Summary for policymakers. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2007c). Climate change 2007: mitigation: Summary for policymakers. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2007d). Human health, (pp. 392-431). Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptations and vulnerability: Summary for policymakers. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

International Council of Nurses (2012). Codes of Ethics for Nurses.

International Council of Nurses. (2008). Nurses, climate change, and health.

Kurth, A. E. (2018). Planetary health and the role of nursing: A call to action. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 1-8.

Lancet Countdown website: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change.

Lancet Review: Countdown on health and climate change

Lancet Commission: On pollution and health

Lancet Comment: Towards a healthier and safer environment

Lancet Comment: On pollution, health, and the planet: time for decisive action

Leffers, J., & Butterfield, P. (2018). Nurses play essential roles in reducing health problems due to climate change. Nursing Outlook, 66, 210-213.

Leffers, J., McDermott-Levy, R., Nicholas, P. K., & Sweeney, C. (2017). Mandate for the nursing profession to address climate change through nursing education. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49, 679-687.

Lemery, J., Williams, C., & Farmer, P. (2014). Editorial: The great procrastination. Health and Human Rights, 16 (1), 1-3.

Levy, B.S., & Patz, J.A. (2015). Climate Change and Public Health, Oxford University Press.

Leyva, E.. Wil. A., Beaman, A., & Davidson, P. M. (2017). Health impact of climate change in older people: An integrative review and implications for nursing. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49, 670-678.

Lindley, S., O’Neill, J., Kandeh, J., Lawson, N., Christian, R., & O’Neill, M. (2011). Climate change, justice, and vulnerability. Joseph Rownree Foundation, United Kingdom, York.

Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Justice. (nd). Principles of climate justice.

Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Justice. (2013). Meeting the needs of future generations.

Maxwell, J., & Blashki, g. (2016). Teaching about climate change in medical education: An opportunity. Journal of Public Health Research, 5, 673.

Mutic, A. D., Mix, J. M., Elon, L., Mutic, N. J., Economos, J., Flocks, J., Tovar-Aguilar, A. J., & McCauley, L. A. (2018). Classification of heat-related symptoms among Florida farmworkers, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 50, 74-82.

National Public Radio. (2013). How could a drought spark a civil war?

Nicholas, Patrice: Podcast interview on the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments.

Nightingale, F. (1859). Notes on nursing: What it is, and what it is not. New York: Appleton Company.

Pan American Health Organization (2016). Zika virus.

Patton, R. & Seiple (2008). Action report to the American Nurses Association 2008 House of Delegates. Washington DC: American Nurses Association.

Pope Francis (2015). Laudato Si. 

Preston, I., Banks, N., Hargreaves, K., Kazmierczak, A., Lucas, K., Mayhe, R...Street, R. (2104). Climate change and social justice: An evidence Review. Joseph Rowntree Foundation, United Kingdom: York

Renee N. Salas, MD, MPH, Wendy Jacobs, JD, Frederica Perez, PhD. The Case of Juliana v. U.S. – Children and the Health Burdens of Climate Change, New England Journal of Medicine,  May 30, 2019

Schenk, E.,  Butterfield, P., Postma, J., Barbosa-Leiker, C., & Corbett, C. (2015). Creating the Nurses’ Environmental Awareness Tool. Workplace Health and Safety. Retrieved from

Sullivan-Marx, E., & McCauley, L. (2017). Climate change, global health and nursing scholarship. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49, 1-2.

Topol, E., McCarthy,G. Interview of Gina McCarthy on Climate Change and Public Health

United Nations. (2000). Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

United Nations. (2015). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

United Nations. (1992). UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Full text of the Convention: Article 1.

U.S. Call to Action on Climate, Health, and Equity: A Policy Action Agenda

Veneema, T. G., Thornton, C. P., Lavin, R. P., Bender, A. K., Seal, S., & Corley, A. (2017). Climate change-related water disasters’ impact on population  health. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49, 1-10.

World Health Organization. (1992). Our planet, our health: Report of the WHO Commission on Health and the Environment. Geneva: World Health Organization.

World Health Organization. (2014). Gender, Climate Change and Health.

World Health Organization (2012). Ten facts on climate change and health.

World Health Organization. (2014). Quantitative risk assessment of the effects of climate change on selected causes of death, 2030s and 2050s. Geneva: World Health Organization.

Resource list compiled by Professor Patrice Nicholas, DNSc, DHL (Hon.), MPH, RN, ANP-C, FAAN, School of Nursing, MGH Institute of Health Professions