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Summer/Fall 2025
Climate Health Concerned Colleagues,
Federal actions in Washington DC continue to deal substantial setbacks to progress on climate and health. Withdrawing EPA regulations and pulling back funding for clean energy, public health, education and science research have been severe. Despite this, progress will continue at the state and local levels and internationally. We can and will find ways to work around these obstacles. Especially by working together, we can make a bigger difference.
Each of us can make a difference. This newsletter offers simple opportunities and more to support climate and brain health. First, see our ACTION ALERT to send a letter to the oppose the EPA withdrawing the Endangerment Finding. If you are interested in neuroscience climate research opportunities and collaboration, our next Quarterly Meeting next Monday features Burcin Ikiz PhD from the Neuroscience Climate Working Group. We also include Optimism: other simple actions, Upcoming Events, Recent Climate Publications and more advocacy information.
NICHe Co-Founders,
Bret Andrews, DO ~ Larry Junck, MD ~ Beth Malow, MD, FAAN ~ Ali Saad, MD, FAAN
NICHe Quarterly Meeting
Burcin Ikiz, PhD Founder/Director of the Neuro Climate Working Group and EcoNeuro will be at our Quarterly Meeting
Monday, September 8th, 12pm ET: “Bridging the Gap: Climate & Brain Health Research Opportunities for Neurologists at Every Career Stage" Our next Quarterly Meeting will be presented by Burcin Ikiz PhD, Founder/Director of the Neuroscience Climate Working Group (NCWG) and EcoNeuro.
The NCWG meets monthly to support and connect neuroscience climate researchers. They collaborate with and advise the World Health Organization on air pollution's impact on brain health. They contributed to the pending 2025 State of Global Air report, to include brain health and they were recently recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of the top five global initiatives tackling climate change and mental health.
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87945618833?pwd=ebVo4WAE3e72GMFoFNmSC0Lq2FRix9. Meeting ID: 879 4561 8833; Passcode: 051654
For enquiries and to join the NCWG: Neuro Climate Working Group
Easy and important ACTION ALERT:
Defend the EPA Endangerment Finding and support science and climate health:
The EPA plans to withdraw their regulation of health harming carbon greenhouse gas emissions based on the EPA Endangerment Finding of 2009 and will be making a decision soon. The EPA is accepting public comment through mid September. Physicians and other scientists are sending letters. This is a high impact, low time commitment opportunity for us, neurologists and neuroscientists, to explain how air pollution affects brain health.
Submit written comments as a neurologist, neuroscientist or health professional to support keeping the EPA regulation -- the MSCCH Action Alert Toolkit gives you the background and sample language and will submit the comments for you requiring only a few minutes of your time. **For neurology phrases to use, including subspecialists: See this link: Letter Neuro Ideas
10 States Currently have CCAs
Optimism: other simple actions you can take to make a difference
Get Cleaner Electricity: Here is an easy way you can lower your electricity carbon footprint, reduce air pollution health harms and encourage more clean energy production without installing solar: Join a Community Choice Aggregate (CCA), or local Solar/Wind Cooperative if they are available. If not, many residential customers can choose a renewable electricity option which purchases "equivalents" for a maximum portion of their electricity from clean sources (typically solar or wind) through their utility provider. Generally these options are up to a few dollars, but may cost less than your current monthly electricity bill.
Feeling Like you need a boost to participate? Consider joining the MSCCH, it's local affiliates in your state or other organizations to engage in advocacy with colleagues and community.
See links and other advocacy suggestions below
Upcoming Events:
September 3, 2025 12 -1 pm MDT Climate Change and Brain Health (Larry Junck and Bret Andrews) Project ECHO/University of New Mexico Registration Link
September 10, 2025 8 - 9 EDT Climate Change and Brain Health (Beth Malow, Bret Andrews) Neurology Grand Rounds, Duke University Webinar Link: https://duke.zoom.us/j/99889938341 ID: 998 8993 8341 and Passcode: synapse
September 24, 2025 12-1 pm ET Climate Change and Brain Health (Bret Andrews) Neurology Grand Rounds, University of Rochester Zoom Link, ID: 943 9657 9103P and Passcode: 014624
October 4, 2025 Climate & Brain Health (Larry Junck live) Neurology Grand Rounds, New York University
October 25 2025, 8:00 AM-3:15PM The Environmental Effects on Brain Health (Ali Saad) Illinois Neurological Society Contact: Ashley@meetingachievements.com
October 26, 2025 Climate and Neurology (Ali Saad) Climate and Health Conference, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Register here
December 5, 2025 Climate Health and Brain Health (Larry Junck and Bret Andrews) Neurology Grand Rounds, Stanford University
Outdoor Air Pollution is the 2nd leading cause of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)
Recent Climate Neurology Publications
Feigin VL, et al. World Stroke Organization: Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2025 [Int J Stroke, 12/05/24] DOI:10.1177/17474930241308142 Based on data from Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study on stroke burden published in The Lancet Neurology 2024, DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(24)00369-7
Krzyzanowski B, et al. Air Pollution and Parkinson's Disease in a Population-Based Study [JAMANetworkOpen, 09/16/24] DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.33602
Best Rogowski CB, et al. Long-term air pollution exposure and incident dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis [LancetPlanetaryHealth, 07/2025] DOI:10.1016/S2542-5196(25)00118-4
Hvidtfeldt UA, et al. Ambient Outdoor Air Pollution and Risk of Tumors of the Central Nervous System [Neurology, 7/2025] DOI:10.1212/WNL.0000000000213920
Song D, et al. 2025. Stroke Mortality Risk Factors: Global Trends and Regional Variations 1990-2021 [JAHA, 06/0525] DOI:10.1161/JAHA.125.042107
Canning T, et al. Associations between life course exposure to ambient air pollution with cognition and later-life brain structure: a population-based study of the 1946 British Birth Cohort [Lancet Healthy Longev, 07/2025] DOI:10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100724
Mazahir FA, et al. The association of particulate matter PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides from ambient air pollution and mental health of children and young adults- a systematic review [Rev Environ Health, 03/14/25] DOI:10.1515/reveh-2024-0120
Reis J, et al. Climate-related challenges to brain health: A European perspective review [J Neurol, 8/13/25] DOI:10.1016/j.neurol.2025.07.010
Opinion: AbuAlrob MA, Itbaisha A. Integrating Climate Change Into Neurology Education: Preparing Future Physicians for a Warming World [Neurol Edu, 07/29/25] DOI:10.1212/NE9.0000000000200235
Links to Previous Newsletters:
- First Quarterly Newsletter, November 4, 2024 (Fall/Winter)
- Second Quarterly Newsletter, February 13, 2025 (Winter/Spring)
- Third Quarterly Newsletter, May 27, 2025 (Spring/Summer)
Quick Advocacy Links:
Ways To Get Involved:
As a Citizen
· Join an organizations advocating action on climate change.
· As Professor Katherine Hayhoe recommends, talk about climate change and its health consequences (including stroke, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease from air pollution) with your colleagues, family, and friends. Subscribe to her weekly newsletter at https://www.talkingclimate.ca/.
· Emphasize actions on climate change at the local and state levels.
· Let your Congressperson know of you concern about climate change, especially because of its health consequences; this is especially important for Republicans. Better yet, join an organization that lobbies your state legislature or Congress on climate change.
· Target your most impactful sustainability measures at home using Project Drawdown's Suggestions
As a Clinician
· For patients with stroke and dementia, consider measures to minimize particulate exposure, e.g. minimizing time on or near major roadways, avoiding wildfire smoke, wearing a mask directly exposed to high air pollution, using a home air purifier as possible.
· Assess whether patients with disabilities and elders have the ability to protect themselves from extreme heat and other extreme weather events.
· Join your state chapter (or start one) of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health to engage clinicians in your area
· If you work with residents, fellows, or students, make sure they are receiving education on climate change and its neuro consequences.
· Work within your health system to decrease its carbon footprint. In the US, healthcare accounts for 8.5% of greenhouse gas production.
· Reach out to NICHe with ideas for collaboration, also requests to publicize your events: bretdandrews@gmail.com
