Why is Thinking Globally and Acting Locally Important in Face of Extreme Weather Impacts on Health?

The commonly cited phrase, “Think Globally, Act Locally,” has profound relevance in the context of environmental health, climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. Climate change is one component of the broader and more encompassing concepts of planetary health and the Anthropocene, both of which emphasize the interconnectedness of human activity and the Earth's natural systems.

Extreme weather events are arguably the most significant public health challenge of the 21st century, and its impacts are already evident through increasingly severe heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, floods, hurricanes and other environmental disasters. A defining characteristic of these threats is that they are rarely driven solely by local conditions. Rather, they emerge from large-scale global processes, including changing atmospheric patterns and climate phenomena such as El Niño, whose effects are felt across continents.

Inspired by this perspective, my research has focused on understanding these risks, quantifying their impacts, and identifying public health and policy interventions that can mitigate their consequences in regions facing even greater environmental challenges than those currently experienced in San Diego or elsewhere in the United States.